I passed my AGPCNP certification exam!!!!

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Specializes in Psych.

Hello all, my first post and I wanted to come on here and share my experience. I passed! first time. I didn't think I would and had started googling how people were doing on these exams.....that's how I found this forum. Most of what I read worried me more, but there were some good suggestions on here too. Some I wished I had read sooner, such as the practice quizzes on APEA.

I decided to take the ANCC exam. That's what I took when I was first certified as a Psych NP. I've been working as a Psych NP for eight years, so I figured I had to get at least some of the role-type questions right!

I decided to just study my notes from my primary care class since getting these types of questions right would get me atleast a passing grade. Two weeks before the exam I took the ten free questions on the ANCC website. I just barely passed and was not comfortable with that. So I took the $50 practice exam on the AANP site. I wish I could have done more, but up until very recently, I've only been working part time and funds are very low....Well, I didn't pass that exam at all! And their feedback is useless. Don't waste your money on this exam. The ones on APEA are less expensive and look better to me.

I was able to figure out my weak areas and studied those topics for two nights before the exam. This must have helped, cause I passed. I couldn't believe it!

My score didn't come up on the screen, so I went out to the monitors who told me it prints out. I looked over at the printer to see page after page printing...."oh no!" I thought these were the areas I needed to improve and I had failed. but she had already pulled it off and was notarizing it. hahaha.

The exam seemed well balanced to me on all topics. There were about 1/4 NP role type questions. There were usually two responses that I could rule out right away and two that I had to choose from.

From the practice exams, I realized they really take the hard line. For example, for the free practice questions there was a correct response of telling a family member I would only speak with the patient. Honestly, I would have finessed this response a little more. Families can be a valuable resource and shouldn't be alienated.

Sometimes, the right answer seemed so obvious that I thought, "that can't be right...it's a trick!"

So, I hope this helps someone. Sorry for the long post!

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Congratulations! And thanks for the tips!

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.

Congrats.

Sent from my iPhone.

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Congrats! I am sure your dual certification will make you marketable indeed. What are your plans for practice?

Cardiac

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Specializes in Psych.

I am moving into dermatology. Someday, I'd like to have a clinic providing all things for the skin, esthetics, stress reduction, nutritional advice......a nice plan to help people feel better about themselves.

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Specializes in Critical Care/Coronary Care Unit,.

Congrats!

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Specializes in Emergency, Pediatrics.

Where did you go to school?

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Congratulations!!! I sit for the FNP AANP in about a month and have found it valuable to read about everyone's exam experiences. Thanks for sharing.

Mike

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Specializes in Psych.

Good luck Mike! Let us know how you do.

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Specializes in Psych.
Where did you go to school?

I did did the post Masters cert for primary care with Umass Boston online. Overall, course content was excellent. You do have to find your own clinical preceptors. That's hard! Everyone is so busy and burnt out in primary care.

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Congrats!!!! I just passed as well in October. Good luck with future endeavors

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