Failed ANCC and AANP/APEA Questions

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I have failed both of these certification and I am so tired!!! I don't even have the energy or the desire to study right now. I know it is wrong to feel this way but I think I am tired of disappointing myself. Iam also tired of people at my job asking me daily. I really don't feel I did enough study questions. I am thinking about trying APEA questions. They just started a new question bank on their website. ( I did the old one and it was not very good).

I almost feel like I will never past!!!!!!

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I am sorry you feel this way! I have read your posts before about failing and I do not doubt that you studied so much like everyone else. I used the APEA's Qbank, Leik's app for questions, and AANP's FNP and AGNP sample questions and found that answering these questions more than 3 times helped reinforce my learning. It also helped me list those topics that needed more review. I didn't just answer the questions though. I read Leik, listened to hollier & fitzgerald multiple times, i went to a live review, then re-read Leik again. I also watched APEA's videos on newborn assessment. It may seem tedious but I think this was the only way I could pass the exam. I also prayed a lot!

I know it is exhausting to have to take these exams again. Studying incessantly made me grumpy, stressed, and depressed during the process. Maybe you should take a week off from studying? However, do not give up!!! What were your strengths and weaknesses? Which topics did you score low? Have you thought about changing your studying habits/strategies? You should have a good idea by now on what was lacking from your study materials.

What study materials are you using? How did you study them?

Anyway, I am here to help. I am sure others are willing to help you too. Good luck!

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By the way, the "people at work" who keep asking you shouldn't add anymore stress! When they ask, just say something like "maybe next year". Even though you know this is not true, at least this would stop them from bugging you. OR you can just be honest and say "I do not know yet and please stop asking." ;-)

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Thank you so much!! I am currently using leiks and BARKLEYS which I used before and loved it. I feel I need to do more questions. I know the leiks questions by heart now. I do understand those. I wanted to purchase the new APEA QBank because I need more questions to do and the questions samples seem pretty good. They focus on assessment and management. I am having a hard time getting back to the study grind because Iam just tired of studying so hard and still failing. Today, I am going to make myself get started. I am now nervous to fail the AANP because you only can take 2 times a year.

QUOTE=CocoaLoverFNP;8578250]I am sorry you feel this way! I have read your posts before about failing and I do not doubt that you studied so much like everyone else. I used the APEA's Qbank, Leik's app for questions, and AANP's FNP and AGNP sample questions and found that answering these questions more than 3 times helped reinforce my learning. It also helped me list those topics that needed more review. I didn't just answer the questions though. I read Leik, listened to hollier & fitzgerald multiple times, i went to a live review, then re-read Leik again. I also watched APEA's videos on newborn assessment. It may seem tedious but I think this was the only way I could pass the exam. I also prayed a lot!

I know it is exhausting to have to take these exams again. Studying incessantly made me grumpy, stressed, and depressed during the process. Maybe you should take a week off from studying? However, do not give up!!! What were your strengths and weaknesses? Which topics did you score low? Have you thought about changing your studying habits/strategies? You should have a good idea by now on what was lacking from your study materials.

What study materials are you using? How did you study them?

Anyway, I am here to help. I am sure others are willing to help you too. Good luck!

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Thank you so much!! I am currently using leiks and BARKLEYS which I used before and loved it. I feel I need to do more questions. I know the leiks questions by heart now. I do understand those. I wanted to purchase the new APEA QBank because I need more questions to do and the questions samples seem pretty good. They focus on assessment and management. I am having a hard time getting back to the study grind because Iam just tired of studying so hard and still failing. Today, I am going to make myself get started. I am now nervous to fail the AANP because you only can take 2 times a year.

I thought Leik's questions were pretty good. I did not use Barkeley's and I know a lot of students didn't use that resource either.

When you say you "understand Leik's questions by heart", are you able to explain the rationale behind the question? Do you also understand the pathophysiology of the disease and its treatments? If you honestly do, then I would purchase APEAs Qbank and read the rationales of every question, even if you got the question right. However, when you miss a question, write it down, read more about later, then practice talking to someone in your head. Explain to this imaginary person why the answer to the question was that answer. Then I would answer all of Qbank's questions again. Yes, all 1000 questions. If you miss anymore questions, read about them again until you master the concept behind the question.

Good luck! Don't just study... You have to make sure you are studying effectively. ;-) Don't forget those mental breaks. They are awesome!

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I so appreciate your response and your absolutely correct. I am almost wonder if I truly understand it have I just memorized the Leiks questions. APEA has a new QBank and I thought about using that as well. Today I started studying again and I went through the topics in Barkley and then the exam tips in Leiks (still need a few more topics to review in Leiks). I am then going to start answering questions. My goal is to do 400 a week and review. My last day to take the AANP is August 13th. The ANCC was way harder then the AANP. My last test on the AANP was 493 (almost made it).

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I so appreciate your response and your absolutely correct. I am almost wonder if I truly understand it have I just memorized the Leiks questions. APEA has a new QBank and I thought about using that as well. Today I started studying again and I went through the topics in Barkley and then the exam tips in Leiks (still need a few more topics to review in Leiks). I am then going to start answering questions. My goal is to do 400 a week and review. My last day to take the AANP is August 13th. The ANCC was way harder then the AANP. My last test on the AANP was 493 (almost made it).

Sounds good. The hollier and fitzegarald's audio CD also helped me. I listened to those multiple times. I also read Leik about 3 times. If you can afford those CDs, I recommend them. I know that the AANP questions were difficult. ANCC, from what i heard, was hard because they also covered non-clinical questions. So if you did not study the theories, research, and professional issues, then you will consider it hard. ANCC's clinical questions though were straight forward. But even though you got all the clinical questions right in ANCC's exam, you would still fail it.

Anyway, pray hard! Also study well. You already achieved so much, you can't just give up now.

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Thanks...i have Barkley Cd's i listen to in the car when going and coming to work. I pray about it all the time, however I know when it is his will. I have scripture I reference to that helps me get through without getting to stressed out about it. I pray for understanding to not only get through the certification but also be a awesome NP. I was losing Faith at one time but I had to quickly erase that negative thinking because I know better and having faith is what has gotten me this far!! I thank you for your support I just to gain the strength to go hard once again and pass this certification. My way of thinking and studying needs to be better.

QUOTE=CocoaLoverFNP;8578973]Sounds good. The hollier and fitzegarald's audio CD also helped me. I listened to those multiple times. I also read Leik about 3 times. If you can afford those CDs, I recommend them. I know that the AANP questions were difficult. ANCC, from what i heard, was hard because they also covered non-clinical questions. So if you did not study the theories, research, and professional issues, then you will consider it hard. ANCC's clinical questions though were straight forward. But even though you got all the clinical questions right in ANCC's exam, you would still fail it.

Anyway, pray hard! Also study well. You already achieved so much, you can't just give up now.

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Specializes in ICU/CCU.

I take the ANCc cert exam Aug 20

of course I am nervous but using affirmations such as a big screen in my mind with Affirmations that told me

I can succeed

I can do it

I know the answers

all the answers are within

Also I read the Fitzgerald from cover to cover I too have to do The questions three times

have already done them once so I have two more times to go

also bought the Leik book and am finding that book extremely helpful I really think the Leik is a better book because it is very intensive shor, to the point but we'll see when I get to the test

I will be praying very hard to pass and I will also pray for you as well good luck and God bless

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@canyonforest,

Good luck to you and I'm sure you will pass! I'm testing on Aug 25 and I feel your pain. I'm reading Fitz 4th edition and it's taking me a while. I still want to read the Leik book and then do practice questions from different sources. Which exam are you taking btw?

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