AANP Certification Exam

[Dixiecup]

Well, I took the AANP certification exam today and failed. It was the most horrible feeling in the world.

I took the Barkley live review seminar. It was three jam packed days and they sent us home with a notebook of everything covered. They made a very big deal out of stating they have a 99% passing rate for the exam if you know the material they covered.

Well, I knew it backwards and forwards, practically memorized the entire notebook. And to be honest, I would have done just as well if I had never even opened the thing. It literally only helped me with about two questions. I am so disappointed.

It's so nice to be in the 1% group. Now I don't know what to do. I guessed at probably at LEAST half the questions. It was very hard! What's bad is you don't know which questions you got right or wrong.

I was not nervous at all so it was not test anxiety. It's like I just knew absolutely nothing. The whole test was clinically based but the answer selections were just so confusing.

If it weren't for student loans to pay back I think I would not even bother taking it again.

I'm open to suggestions on how to study now. I actually thought I was well prepared when I went to take the test but obviously NOT!

I'm going to go sit in my recliner and bask in my depression now!

[breelee]

HI All,

This is a pled for help!I have been reading these post and am scared to death. I am to take the AANP in 3 days and I have studied my but off. I feel like I am still not perpared. Im afraid that I will fail. IF anyone has any ideas reagrding what I should focus on I would soooo appreciate the heads up. I usually test well but have been graduated since Dec and feel like I am losing all that knowledge. Any help would be appreciated. after reading your post I think I have studied the wrong material. I took the APEA review course and have been reviewing it and then taking daily practice test by saunders. there is just sooo much information to remember. does anyone know if there are alot of crazy disease process introduced? om so all over the place, trying to get murmurs, DM, Anemias, thyroid disorders, etc, along with JCVII guidelines...ugh!!! Will it ever end????

Thanks,

breelee

[dqbanrn]

I listened to my fitzgerald prep course for the ANCC ACNP exam. I listened to it enough times that i could "sing" along with her as she spoke. There were many tidbits that were almost word for word on the exam. However, while studying the cds, i felt that she was leaving a lot out, but when i took the test, i realized she had just focussed the review for what was going to be on the test. Her review is very targeted. Its the only thing i used to study or the exam and I thought the test was kinda easy.

[Dixiecup]

Thanks, your post was encouraging! I took the Barkley review course and what a waste. I don't have the money or time to take another review course st this point, but I did get the Fitzgerald review book and I am reviewing it like mad right now so I hope it helps!

I just pray I get a different test than the last one I took because if I get the same one, I am certain I will fail again. It's not a matter of not being prepared, the test I took the first time was just out there! it's hard to explain. and I know everyone that has responded in this thread that failed must have taken that exact same test.

I just got confirmation that I will be getting the paperwork in about 8 days to schedule to re-test so I am studying like crazy. I got a phone call a few days ago from the company I have been wanting to go to work for, and she said they would be having interviews soon and I will be getting an interview! So I MUST pass. I want and NEED this job.

So far I am only scoring about 50% correct on the Fitzgerald review book but I plan on reviewing several more times. Some areas I have scored 90- 95% while others as low as 25% so I need to focus on those weak areas! Cardiac is the worst for me.

I am confident we all can pass! Stay positive!

[kellynp]

:yeah:BREELEE,

Iam sooo sorry I just got this email, I don't know what happened. Good Luck tomorrow, kick-ass. Iam scheduled for the test on June 22nd. I have taken the ANCC so many times I lost count and took the AANP only once on 12/16 and studied my butt off and just missed it. It sounds liek you are well prepared. I wasted alot of time on peds. milestones and general peds. that AANP only touched on where ANCC asked alot of questions about. If you have the Hollier review book just review those questions and you will be fine. Would you drop me an email to [email protected] and let me know how it was. Go FOr IT !!!!!!!

[Dixiecup]

I just today ordered he Hollier review book!I will be taking the AANP for the second time, do you think the Hollier book will help with that particular test.

I am just grabbing straws at anything that will help. Trying to review as many questions as possible and do extre review on my weak areas. It's becomming quite stressful.

[KJLewis]

HI Dixiecup;

Yes. Review the Hollier book. I found if I didn't understand something in the questions, I researched the topic further by goggling it. Honestly, some of the explanations on line helped more than the text books. If you have the tiniest question about a topic,do more research on it. The details are important and crop up on the exam.

I am pulling for you. AANP exam is best prepared for with Fitzgerald (Peg Fitzgerald is the BOMB) and Hollier (Amelie Hollier is also the BOMB but cuts to the quick faster than Fitzgerald).

You can do it. Stick w passing either the ANCC or AANP but stick w one or another. Write yourself notes and put them all over your house. My notes said " I will pass the test."

You hang in there all of you. I know what it feels like to want to pass the test, study your brains out and still fail. Tenacity will win out.

GET all of the support you can. This is hard, no matter what all of the other people who passed it without trying say or convey. Yes. Thousands do pass it and you will also. Keep at it and Good Luck.

[Dixiecup]

Yes, I am sticking with AANP and I am confident I will pass when I take the re-test. I got confirmation that my re-application was accepted and I should be getting my paperwork in about 5 days for permission to actually schedule the test date.

I plan on taking it as soon as I possibly can. I have been doing nothing but working, then coming home and studying. I am feeling good about it. Just hope I can retain all this info I'm studying!

[KJLewis]

Dixiecup:

Please keep us posted on your exam results. I am pulling for you!

[breelee]

the reivew book below has a cd with a large question bank of about 13000 question. i founfd that the format and information was very similar to the aanp test i took. i did at least one test a day and then reviewed all the rationale for each question i missed. if i seen something i had not before i woulf write it down and look it up. this was so helpful. i also had the hollier review cds that i listened to. it was the most helpful in learning anemias, and understanding murmurs and her peds section helped me out alot. must know those childhood disease and descrpitive presentations. i also read the leik book which has great tidbits of quick references that i am sure i will use in practice.

i wish you the best..my motto is practice..and re-practice,

brenda

[color=#004b91]family nurse practitioner certification revie…[color=#004b91](paperback)

by [color=#004b91]joann zerwekh ekh msn edd rn, [color=#004b91]jo carol claborn

[Dixiecup]

This is so freaky! I just got this book from a friend and I am reviewing it now!

I just spoke with her on the phone and she says she has the CD and I am going to get it. She said it was very helpful. I have the Hollier book coming in the mail and just finished Fitzgerald.

I figure if I review all of these they will all have different material and the more I know the better. Amazingly I think I am retaining quite a bit of information.

I am feeling a lot more confident than the first time I took the exam. I wish I had ignored what the Barkley fellow told us about studying ONLY their material and reviewed these other books, I think I would have done a lot better.

Let that be a lesson, review a variety of material!

[kellynp]

Breelee,

I didn't hear back from you, how did it go???? Let me know. kellynp

[Dixiecup]

I'm scheduling my test today! I'll let you know how it turns out.