How long

Our batch started processing our application for ANCC certification during the last few weeks preceding graduation. The issuance of our degree by the university, as well as our official transcript of records delayed our approval to take the exam. Also, during the time of our graduation (December 2003), ANCC was revising the ACNP examination and did not have the exam available until March 2004. If not for these issues that were beyond our control, we could have taken the exam as soon as possible since it is computer-based and is offered daily at Sylvan Learning Center branches throughout the country.

I did not attend an actual review class but bought review tapes through Fitzgerald Health Education Associates and also purchased a book of practice questions for the ACNP examination. Some of my classmates purchased review tapes through Barkley and Associates, another firm that specializes in NP certification review courses. What NP certification are you going to sit for?

You can take a job as soon as you graduate if you wish. A lot of my classmates were aggressively pursuing employment during our last semester of graduate school. A few actually started immediately after graduating. I sent out applications and actively interviewed after graduation and did get offers even before I was certified. I opted to wait until after I pass the certification exam before starting work because I do not want the stress of a new job getting in the way of my exam preparation.

Review class? it's really up to you. There were no live review classes available in my home state so that meant I would have to travel elsewhere for a review class. That's why I ended up buying review tapes which were recorded sessions of previous review classes. The tapes also came with printed class notes. I thought that the tapes were sufficient in my case and actually had a lot of good pointers as far as mastering exam content. The book of sample review questions I bought had really hard questions and they were nowhere near the degree of difficulty the actual exam had so that actually helped me in preparing for the worst during the actual test.

Hey nursetim! I also forgot to add that the experience I cited was from 3 years ago. Check with reliable sources in your area (faculty members, NP preceptors) what it's like over where you are as far as obtaining jobs immediately after graduation. I just realized that recently, most of the hospitals here in my area require that the NP is credentialed by the hospital medical staff before starting work. That means you have to already possess your NP degree, and both national and state certification as these are the required documents for hospital credentialing. FNP's may be different since many are employed in private practice and are clinic-based. Processing of insurance credentialing (Medicare and Medicaid, Blue Cross) can also delay your start date in some places.