Not sure what to do next. Please Help!!

[Lilychache]

I recently joined this site after not passing both the ANCC x 2. Once in Jan. 2016 and again in March 2016. I am truly discouraged. I studied with 2 friends. They both passed first try before me. They were both not working and I was working full time because I have to, but to fail twice? I am really sad:( We all attended and studied Fitz the first time around. After not passing the first time, I studied Fitz and her review boths and CDs. I listened to her CDs so many times I could recite what she was about to say before she said it. I also bought the HESI prep questions and scored in the 60s and low 70s. I took the ANCC and missed again by 3 points (347). I felt ready going into the test the second time, but I guess I wasn't. I am so depressed. I have since lost the NP job that was waiting for me. I want to take both the AANP and ANCC next month-end of May. I will only work part time next month in preparation for both exams. I plan is to take them a week apart so that I don't forget too much. Is this a good plan? I am terrified of not passing again. I just cannot take another fail.

I just bought Barkley's review CDs and I am wondering if I need to buy something else. Money is tight but if I need it, I will have to. I have read about the NIH review. Has anyone used it and was it helpful? I thinking about buying either the Apea Q bank or the NIH review on line. I took the predictor test and scored 68%-still not good, but I am working on it. I will appreciate any advise, suggestions. By God's Grace I too will be able to say I passed either exams very soon. Please Help!!!!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

We moved your thread to the Student NP forum to elicit more replies. Good luck to you.

[canchaser, BSN, RN]

You should reach out to the Fitz team, she has some remediation type of stuff for those that fail after doing her course.

[reggaemuffin, MSN, NP, CNS]

I'm assuming you are talking about your NP certification exam- what speciality- adult, acute care, family? And what exam are you taking for the AANP? Usually you take one certification exam by the accreditation body you choose.

[synaptic]

do practice questions until you can pass the practice exams.

It sounds like you took it before you were ready. I mean if you do not pass the practice exam, technically you probably won't pass the real thing.

[carachel2]

This may not be true for you but when I read your post it all sounds like passive learning. "Attended Fitz" "Listened to CDs"

Here was how I studied for ANCC about 5-6 years ago:

-attended Fitz

-set aside about 6 weeks (I did not work b/c I was recovering from surgery. So for about 6 weeks this was my schedule:

Wake up.

Study two new sections from Fitz and the coordinating chapters from Leik.

-review the patho and pharm involved in those chapters.

-make flash cards from those study guides

-drill myself on flash cards

-*actively think out* the disease ad pharm and patho processes mentioned

-take practice questions

Next day:

Review ALL flash cards from day before.

-repeat the next steps

Next day

-Review ALL previous flashcards

-repeat the next steps

I did this every day from about 8-2 and then stopped.

Have you tried AANP yet? Sounds like it would be a reasonable option and maybe a better test for you.

[Lilychache]

Yes reggaemuffin, I did the Adult/Gero track.

[Lilychache]

Thank you very much for moving my post to the appropriate site. I really need suggestions to help me pass the next time. Please help me!!1

[Lilychache]

Thank you canchaser for the information. I did not know that. I will reach out to her team.

[Lilychache]

Thanks carachel2 for sharing your study plan with me. Now that you pointed it out to me, I agree that I probably did passive studying. This is exactly why I joined this site: To get honest advise from those who have passed. I will definitely revise my study plan. I will also register for the AANP this time around. Thank you very much.

[SnowShoeRN]

Get Codina Leik's book. It's really good. Studying from both Fitzgerald and Leik (as a previous poster mentioned) helped me a lot too. Best of luck.

BTW...I think it may actually be against the AN terms of service to have a credential after your name if you haven't gotten that credential yet. That being said, you may want to consider removing the "NP" part until you pass.

[carachel2]

Thanks carachel2 for sharing your study plan with me. Now that you pointed it out to me, I agree that I probably did passive studying. This is exactly why I joined this site: To get honest advise from those who have passed. I will definitely revise my study plan. I will also register for the AANP this time around. Thank you very much.

Glad you can be objective! Listening to things and actually studying them so you know it and can think it out are two VASTLY different things. Make those flashcards; think out those answers and really learn the material.