Failed ACNP

TPfan24 · Jul 28, 2008

Oh I am sorry to hear you did not pass by a few 7 points. Don't be too hard on yourself. You made it this far through and while this is a setback, it can be remedied. Schedule another test soon, study and review. I took the Fitzgerald review course and this was very helpful to me. We were also informed during this review course, there are a certain percentage of people that do not pass on the first try. This test measures how well you took this particular test, your recall and knowledge on these particular test questions. You will do better next time!

Again you made it through school with all the clinicals, papers and tests. Think positive. You will have your job if not this one. In the future it won't matter if you passed on the first try or not.

Good luck and schedule that test. Study, review, be calm. :specs:

JDCitizen · Jul 28, 2008

Oh I am sorry to hear you did not pass by a few 7 points. Don't be too hard on yourself. You made it this far through and while this is a setback, it can be remedied. Schedule another test soon, study and review. I took the Fitzgerald review course and this was very helpful to me. We were also informed during this review course, there are a certain percentage of people that do not pass on the first try. This test measures how well you took this particular test, your recall and knowledge on these particular test questions. You will do better next time!

I concur:

....you made it through school with all the clinicals, papers and tests. Think positive. You will have your job if not this one. In the future it won't matter if you passed on the first try or not.
Good luck and schedule that test. Study, review, be calm.

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Jul 28, 2008

I am very sorry to hear about this. It is not a good feeling when you've worked so hard at earning your degree and then you stumble against a road block like this. I think you should still hold your head up high though. One exam does not sum up all the knowledge you have in your head. Perhaps you were not feeling well during the test or was overly stressed-out that the intent of the questions did not come out as clearly to you. Or maybe you thought the questions required a more complicated answer and over analyzed it a bit. What you need is to take time to take a deep breath and re-group. Once you have settled down from the disappointment you are feeling, objectively figure out what possibly went wrong. Regardless of the real reason, put that behind you. It's time to move on and be pro-active. Learn from your past mistakes. If it's test taking skills with multiple choice exams you need, focus on that. If there were clinical questions which were tough to answer, brush up on the clinical concepts. Bottomline is, there is a second chance and you can bounce back from this.

Also, there is another ACNP exam offered by AACN and you may want to look into this test if you do not wish to wait for the grace period ANCC requires between re-taking the test. http://www.aacn.org/WD/Certifications/Docs/acnpccertificationhandbook.pdf

I'll leave the decision up to you to tell your future employer about the result. If it was me, I would be honest about it and hope that when I pass the second time around, I would still be considered for a job.

yellow finch, BSN, RN · Jul 28, 2008

I'm so sorry to hear this. Since I don't graduate until December, I don't know what to tell you except to hang in there and don't let this take you down. Your dream job still exists. Will they allow you to work until you re-take the exam?

Occam's Machete · Jul 29, 2008

I appreciate everyones response so far. I realize that I do need to keep a positive perspective on this. It's truly a small bump in the road of life, however, right now it seems like a mountain! Really the worst part was having to email the hospital to tell them I failed (oops sorry, I mean I was "unsuccessful")

I can retest in 60 days. I used the Fitzgerald review cd's, and honestly think that I just didn't study as effectively as I could have (in the living room with Spongebob blaring from the TV, and the kids bouncing off the walls because thier dad can't play with them:D) -kidding. I did plenty of content review, but not as many practice questions as maybe I should have.

Thanks for the advice PinoyNP. I've looked into the AACN exam, but I would have to start from square one with them (transcripts, signature from program director, waiting, $$, etc.) I guess 60 days in the grand scheme of things, is not terribly long to wait, just a hard pill to swallow at this point.

Occam's Machete · Jul 29, 2008

I'm so sorry to hear this. Since I don't graduate until December, I don't know what to tell you except to hang in there and don't let this take you down. Your dream job still exists. Will they allow you to work until you re-take the exam?

Unfortunately no certification = no job. Your right though, my dream job does still exist, and they were very gracious and understanding when I let them know what happened. They told me they may have approval for another 1-2 midlevels in Oct, so who knows......

Trauma Columnist · Jul 29, 2008

I'm sorry this has happened but you sound like you have a game plan to get back on track. Good luck.

ANPFNPGNP · Jul 29, 2008

Hi all,
I took the ACNP exam last Friday and scored a 343 (needed a 350 to pass). I'm feeling pretty bummed out, embarrased, and completely dissapionted in myself. Scholastically I've always done very well, and my score came as kind of shock to me. I had a (dream) job lined up, in fact today would have been my first day at work!
Anyway, any words of advice and encouragement from the allnurses community would be greatly appreciated.

I've heard that test is tough. Can you remember some of the questions you had problems with?

I know it's too late now, but in the future, people may want to schedule exams with both certifying bodies. I have a friend who scheduled the AANP and ANCC for her FNP exam and when she passed one she cancelled the other one, she got a refund (minus $100). That is definitely the way to go, because you won't have to wait 60 days to retake the test and no one ever has to know you failed!

Occam's Machete · Jul 31, 2008

I know it's too late now, but in the future, people may want to schedule exams with both certifying bodies. I have a friend who scheduled the AANP and ANCC for her FNP exam and when she passed one she cancelled the other one, she got a refund (minus $100). That is definitely the way to go, because you won't have to wait 60 days to retake the test and no one ever has to know you failed!

Oh what a great plan that would have been if only I had money in buckets!! But alas, I am in debt up to my eyeballs. $390 for the ANCC exam was all I could afford. Is every state accepting the AANP exam at this point?

LisaFNP · Jul 31, 2008

Hang in there, looks like you have a plan in place. Good luck and I am sure you will do fine. :up:

ANPFNPGNP · Jul 31, 2008

Oh what a great plan that would have been if only I had money in buckets!! But alas I am in debt up to my eyeballs. $390 for the ANCC exam was all I could afford. Is every state accepting the AANP exam at this point?[/quote']
Yeah, it's expensive alright. Fortunately, they take credit cards and I know that the AANP will refund all your money except $100 for the processing fee.
According to the AANP website, every state is accepting their certification exam. Unfortunately, they only have the ANP, GNP and FNP exams though.