ANCC vs AANP?

TransplantRN3 · Nov 28, 2014

Both exams lead to NP certification, and most employers do not have a preference which exam you take. Margaret Fitzgerald has a powerpoint presentation that helps clear up the difference/similarities between the two exams:

http://fhea.com/main/content/restricted/npcer/2013npcer_resources/ce20120001-ho.pdf

Also... http://fhea.com/main/?p=certificationcols/common_questions.htm

Hope that helps some!

Hello,
Being a Canadian that works in Michigan, I am clueless about the difference between writing your NP exam for ANCC or AANP. Both lead to licensure? If so, why have two different boards credentialing and writing exams? Why write one vs the other? I can't seem to find an answer to this on google so hoping to find one here. Thanks a bunch!
Respectfully Yours,
MowbrayRN

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Dec 4, 2014

That's been a reality for the NP profession for years - the fact that we have multiple certification boards, not just AANP and ANCC. I support the fact that specialty boards for some of the NP tracks exist (i.e., Peds, Mother-Infant specialties), however, ANCC and AANP have a monopoly over the more popular NP tracks and they are not specialty-based boards like the others. To be clear, there are actually 5 Consensus Model-based certification boards currently:

1. FNP - ANCC and AANP

2. AGNP - ANCC and AANP

3. AGACNP - ANCC and AACN

4. PNP-PC - ANCC and PNCB

5. PNP-AC - PNCB

6. NNP - NCC

7. WHNP - NCC

8. PMHNP - ANCC

Your state BON would tell you which national certification boards are recognized for NP licensure. For instance, Michigan does not list AACN as an approved national certification board. You may not get a license as an NP there if you take the AGACNP exam via AACN.

jennjenn_fnp2b · Dec 18, 2014

Just as an FYI, Michigan does accept both. I'm 2 months short of finishing school and looking at this issue. When I saw this post, I looked it up (I'm a Michigander). It's on the application under the requirements section, just at the bottom of the list of credentialing bodies. It's confusing the way it's placed.

MikeFNPC, MSN · Dec 19, 2014

My experience in south Texas is that either one will do. I've been interviewing and no one has asked where my certification was from. I took the AANP only because I could take it sooner, and the places who have offered me a job want me to start yesterday.

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Dec 19, 2014

I am referring to AACN's AGACNP exam which is not accepted in Michigan. The OP is interested in AGACNP not FNP.

globalRN · Jan 3, 2015

Not much difference ANCC and AANP as both exams are usually accepted by BONs and employers.

AANP is an NP organization so the $$ goes to NPs.

ANCC is not exclusively NPs...if I could have....back in 2002...I would have preferred to certify through AANP but ANCC was computerized and had an earlier writing. AANP was not as convenient to write so that was the deciding factor for me.

MelmaagFNP · Nov 17, 2017

Hello!

I just PASSED the ANCC exam yesterday! I failed the AANP exam twice prior to this. I felt that the ANCC exam questions were much more clear in what they were asking. AANP was very confusing on many questions. The format for ANCC was not bad at all - with culture questions, ethics, select all that apply, etc. It was very manageable.