FNP Certification Reviews, Tips, and Recommendations

allnurses Guide · Sep 4, 2015

Hello everyone!
I am currently on the downward slope to graduating with my FNP and have numerous questions and curiosities as to others' experiences and recommendations with studying and preparing for the FNP board certification exam. I graduate in August of 2016, so I know I have time, but I want to plan ahead and start a time-frame for when certain things need to start happening.
1. First off, a very common question I'm sure... AANP or ANCC? I do not plan on taking both so would like to get a general opinion and comparison from those who have recently taken either certification exam.
2. Live review courses vs CDs vs online review courses? And when should I attend them in correlation with my graduation and certification date? Should I attend two different ones? And which specific ones do you all recommend?
3. What is a good time frame between graduation and taking boards?
4. I've already bought the Leik Review book, which I've heard fantastic things about, but what other study materials have you all utilized that really gave you straight-forward review?
5. What practice exams have you all bought and were they worth it?
6. Has anyone heard of a HESI exam that prepares FNPs to take their boards or gives them an idea of how they will do on boards?
So sorry for all the questions, I know it's a lot! I'm just trying to get as much information as possible in order to successfully plan my next ten months until graduation.
Thank you all so much! I look forward to your discussions!
Ashley

1. Essentially there is no benefit to one vs the other; they offer different professional credentials, if that matters. ANCC is more broadly based while the AANP is more clinical. They have similar pass rates with AANP slightly higher. Ask your program which exam they prepare students for...

2. Attend a live course. They are all about the same; I like the FHEA course. Take a course between graduation and your exam.

3. It will take at least a week or two between graduation and your eligibility to sit for the boards. The rest is up to you. If you went to a good program, know your stuff, and took a review course while waiting, go ahead and take it right away. If you find you are a bit lost while taking a review, you probably need a significant amount of time to prep.

4. FHEA book is good too. Shouldn't need much more.

5. You shouldn't need to buy a lot of practice tests. Unlike NCLEX, these exams you either know or you don't. There isn't a learning period to get used to the questions.

6. Your live review is essentially your practice. You will know as you go how prepared you are.

Good luck!

ashleyne2408 · Sep 7, 2015

1. Essentially there is no benefit to one vs the other; they offer different professional credentials, if that matters. ANCC is more broadly based while the AANP is more clinical. They have similar pass rates with AANP slightly higher. Ask your program which exam they prepare students for...
2. Attend a live course. They are all about the same; I like the FHEA course. Take a course between graduation and your exam.
3. It will take at least a week or two between graduation and your eligibility to sit for the boards. The rest is up to you. If you went to a good program, know your stuff, and took a review course while waiting, go ahead and take it right away. If you find you are a bit lost while taking a review, you probably need a significant amount of time to prep.
4. FHEA book is good too. Shouldn't need much more.
5. You shouldn't need to buy a lot of practice tests. Unlike NCLEX, these exams you either know or you don't. There isn't a learning period to get used to the questions.
6. Your live review is essentially your practice. You will know as you go how prepared you are.
Good luck!

Thank you so much! That was very helpful!

Ashley

ashleyne2408 · Sep 7, 2015

I am registering for the FHEA review in March. I will secure my seat within the month. My anticipated graduation date is in May of 2016. (provided I get my women's health preceptor squared away by the 15th).
I was given the 2012 Fitzgerald CDs and have listened to them already. The reason I'm going to the live course is because I learn better that way and I want the more updated information. Plus, it's a short stay away from home with my honey and my NP mentor and friend is going to, so I'd like to hang out with her.
I'm excited!

Good luck! It'll be here before you know it! How do you like the CDs so far?

ashleyne2408 · Sep 7, 2015

Dr. Fitzgerald is a bit dry on the CDs but the information is really well organized and thorough. She has tips and tricks to help you remember and she cites guidelines as she goes (e.g. JNC8, etc.).
I think in person it will be more dynamic. One thing for certain, I did a cold listen and the second time I followed with the workbook. It's so clear and you can see what she's talking about. The visual aspect is what is helping me cement some concepts. (I listened to them prior to my clinical rotations and it did give me a slight advantage).
It also helps to hear how the questions will be asked on the test, which she does. The first CD went into the differences between ANCC and AANP exams. All in all, I'm grateful to have received them and having heard them is when I decided I needed the live review...needed more, gotta have more.

Ok thank you very much! It sounds like they were a good investment, I will be purchasing them soon and am excited to follow along with how they correlate with my clinicals. Thanks again!

BiotoBSNtoFNP · Sep 7, 2015

Hello everyone!
I am currently on the downward slope to graduating with my FNP and have numerous questions and curiosities as to others' experiences and recommendations with studying and preparing for the FNP board certification exam. I graduate in August of 2016, so I know I have time, but I want to plan ahead and start a time-frame for when certain things need to start happening.
1. First off, a very common question I'm sure... AANP or ANCC? I do not plan on taking both so would like to get a general opinion and comparison from those who have recently taken either certification exam.
2. Live review courses vs CDs vs online review courses? And when should I attend them in correlation with my graduation and certification date? Should I attend two different ones? And which specific ones do you all recommend?
3. What is a good time frame between graduation and taking boards?
4. I've already bought the Leik Review book, which I've heard fantastic things about, but what other study materials have you all utilized that really gave you straight-forward review?
5. What practice exams have you all bought and were they worth it?
6. Has anyone heard of a HESI exam that prepares FNPs to take their boards or gives them an idea of how they will do on boards?
So sorry for all the questions, I know it's a lot! I'm just trying to get as much information as possible in order to successfully plan my next ten months until graduation.
Thank you all so much! I look forward to your discussions!
Ashley

1. I passed the AANP last week! I knew I wanted to take the AANP bc Legal, billing etc was not my strong suit and I felt more comfortable with more clinical questions. However, many of my classmates are taking the ANCC since that is what was recommended by my school. I asked my future employer if they had a preference (they didnt) so I chose the one that seemed most optimal for me.

2. I took the live fitzgerald course 3 months before graduation. This was a little early, but it was the only time a course was in my area. I found it very helpful and I am glad I did it! fHEA recommends taking their live course 2 months prior to when you plan on taking the boards. I also listened to the Barkley cds while in the car. I enjoyed these bc I am an auditory learner and I felt like they were a good review. I knew most of the information she talked about and if I didnt, i would make a note and go look up that information after I was driving. Finally, a few weeks before taking the test, i read the leik book and did her questions. I thought the leik book was concise and straightforward. Although, I must have had an earlier version bc she used the JNC 7 HTN guidelines.

3. Like I said, I took the review course very early compared to most ppl and had been studying all throughout my last semester. I had my AANP account made early in my first semester and submitted all of my information with unofficial transcripts prior to completing my program. I got my ATT the last week of classes and scheduled my exam one week after my finals ended. Most of my classmates are taking a few months off the study. It is up to you and what will work best for you!

4. See question 2.

5. I took one practice exam which came with my fhea live review course. I also answered all ~600 questions in leiks review book.

6. Not sure other than the practice tests you can buy?

I took the fhea practice exam in 57 minutes. I took the full 3 hours for the actual aanp exam!!!

I did not know all of the answers to the exam but was able to utilize my test taking strategies that ive learned to try and identify the answer. Make sure you learn these too! Some answers were easily identified and others I am still pondering over a week later!!

You wont know the answer to every question, but you need to make sure you do not let this cause panic and you stay calm throughout the test! And remember, they are not going to ask the zebras, they are going to ask the common things youll see frequently.

Goodluck!!!

ashleyne2408 · Sep 7, 2015

1. I passed the AANP last week! I knew I wanted to take the AANP bc Legal, billing etc was not my strong suit and I felt more comfortable with more clinical questions. However, many of my classmates are taking the ANCC since that is what was recommended by my school. I asked my future employer if they had a preference (they didnt) so I chose the one that seemed most optimal for me.
2. I took the live fitzgerald course 3 months before graduation. This was a little early, but it was the only time a course was in my area. I found it very helpful and I am glad I did it! fHEA recommends taking their live course 2 months prior to when you plan on taking the boards. I also listened to the Barkley cds while in the car. I enjoyed these bc I am an auditory learner and I felt like they were a good review. I knew most of the information she talked about and if I didnt, i would make a note and go look up that information after I was driving. Finally, a few weeks before taking the test, i read the leik book and did her questions. I thought the leik book was concise and straightforward. Although, I must have had an earlier version bc she used the JNC 7 HTN guidelines.
3. Like I said, I took the review course very early compared to most ppl and had been studying all throughout my last semester. I had my AANP account made early in my first semester and submitted all of my information with unofficial transcripts prior to completing my program. I got my ATT the last week of classes and scheduled my exam one week after my finals ended. Most of my classmates are taking a few months off the study. It is up to you and what will work best for you!
4. See question 2.
5. I took one practice exam which came with my fhea live review course. I also answered all ~600 questions in leiks review book.
6. Not sure other than the practice tests you can buy?
I took the fhea practice exam in 57 minutes. I took the full 3 hours for the actual aanp exam!!!
I did not know all of the answers to the exam but was able to utilize my test taking strategies that ive learned to try and identify the answer. Make sure you learn these too! Some answers were easily identified and others I am still pondering over a week later!!
You wont know the answer to every question, but you need to make sure you do not let this cause panic and you stay calm throughout the test! And remember, they are not going to ask the zebras, they are going to ask the common things youll see frequently.
Goodluck!!!

Congrats to you! That's awesome! I bet you are so relieved. And thank you for all that information, that was very helpful. I think the tallies are leaning towards FHEA and I see there is one in St. Louis (close to my area) about two months before I graduate so yay! Are there any FHEA speakers recommended over others? I'm sure Fitzgerald herself isn't going to be coming anywhere near Columbia, MO :)

BiotoBSNtoFNP · Sep 8, 2015

Congrats to you! That's awesome! I bet you are so relieved. And thank you for all that information, that was very helpful. I think the tallies are leaning towards FHEA and I see there is one in St. Louis (close to my area) about two months before I graduate so yay! Are there any FHEA speakers recommended over others? I'm sure Fitzgerald herself isn't going to be coming anywhere near Columbia, MO :)

I think Louise (unsure of her last name) was the speaker at mine. Very helpful, informative. If we had questions that she was unsure of, she looked it up on breaks for us!

Ive heard good things from all of the lecturers, I'm sure they are all excellent and qualified! Hows the job market in your area? I live in philadelphia and anticipated a very difficult job search with a saturated market. However, I had multiple offers prior to graduation from places that I had cold called or applied online. I started applying my last semester of school. I was not interested in working at my clinical sites, but most of my classmates were hired at theirs!

BiotoBSNtoFNP · Sep 8, 2015

Done :):)

ashleyne2408 · Sep 8, 2015

I think Louise (unsure of her last name) was the speaker at mine. Very helpful, informative. If we had questions that she was unsure of, she looked it up on breaks for us!
Ive heard good things from all of the lecturers, I'm sure they are all excellent and qualified! Hows the job market in your area? I live in philadelphia and anticipated a very difficult job search with a saturated market. However, I had multiple offers prior to graduation from places that I had cold called or applied online. I started applying my last semester of school. I was not interested in working at my clinical sites, but most of my classmates were hired at theirs!

Ok thank you!

Here in Columbia, MO we have four major hospitals and hundreds of clinics within a 20 mile radius, so luckily the job market is very appealing here. It seems someones is always hiring, so I'm hoping by this time next year I'll be hired by either an internal medicine or family medicine clinic somewhere in town!

ashleyne2408 · Sep 8, 2015

Brett will be at mine in March. Congrats BiotoMSN! (need to update your username, my friend!)

I'm sure they will be great!

NeldaFNP · Sep 15, 2015

2. Live review courses vs CDs vs online review courses? And when should I attend them in correlation with my graduation and certification date? Should I attend two different ones? And which specific ones do you all recommend?
Ashley

I used an older CD review (2011) and then attended a live session in 2015 by a different lecturer. I feel that I benefited from the information from 2 different lecturers. If I had to choose, I would do CDs because I reviewed them over and over, I would listen to them while driving, etc. I had the manual that went with it and sat down with the manual and went through it as if I were at the live course, 8 hour sessions and made notes in the manual like I would have at a live session.

Buy an older version (cheaper) and listen to the CDs all the time, then sit down and do the sessions after graduation and at least 1-2 weeks before your exam is scheduled. Study very little the last week before the exam and nothing the day before.

If you do the Barkley review, he guarantees that you will pass if you take the exam at least 3 weeks after the review session but not more than 3 months. I think Liek also has a guarantee. Barkley has a discount if at least 4-5 people sign up as a group.

Beware, Liek has many wrong answers! I have a list of them that I can send you. I did find her book helpful after I corrected the wrong ones. I also thought Hollier book was helpful ( almost no incorrect answers and more questions). I have a blog about tips to studying for the AANP exam if you would like to visit it. Just pm me for the link (it can't be posted here due to the rules).

6.....HESI exam, yes, our school made us take a HESI exam before graduation, and my scores (in the 90s) were similar to my passing score (732/800) for the AANP FNP exam. But I do have to say that I studied for 5 weeks straight, at least 20 hours each week, after the HESI exam/graduation and before the AANP exam. I felt ready after those 5 weeks. I think most people know when they feel saturated and ready.

5....the benefit of practice exams is that they help you to identify weak areas and to study those areas. Memorizing answers does not help you but studying areas of weakness will help you. I had a friend who used them exclusively (with some review books but no review course) and she passed the ANCC exam the first time.