Passed both AANP and ANCC for AGNP

[Bumashes, MSN, APRN, NP]

Hi all,

Just wanted to put this out there for those interested parties. I graduated from USA's Adult/Geron Primary Care NP program Dec 2013, and I have taken and passed both the AANP and the ANCC certification exams. Here's my experience:

I did take a live review course, the Kellerman review, two days before my graduation, which was a week and a half before my first testing. I was in possession of a Leik review book, Fitzgerald Audio CDs, and APEA Hollier Audio CDs. To be honest, though, I never made it all the way through either of the CD reviews. I think I listened to 3-4 of the Fitsgerald ones (just on the subjects I hate), and I think I might have gotten through 5 or 6 of the Hollier ones (also just on the topics I hate). I haphazardly listened to them over the last 4 months of class...so not much at all, considering. I glanced in the Leik book every now and then to do a few practice questions. There are about 400+ in the book I have, but I only ever made it to 200 over the few months I used it. I had also purchased quizzes from adultnpprep.com, but after taking 2 of them I quit using them because they were absurd. They asked questions that were acute care, family, L&D, and other things that are NOT part of my Adult Primary Care degree. Totally worthless expediture of money. Anyway, I guess what I'm saying is that I did not hold to a study routine or really buckle down to any one thing at all. I'm not trying to be egotistical, I just don't find that this kind of stuff helps me after the fact.

So what enabled me to pass BOTH exams? My years working in the ER with some great docs who taught me a lot, and my preceptor that I was with for all four semesters of clinicals. The rest were just fillers. It was certainly not the "education" I received from USA that passed me. Good God, I have never been more glad that I had some years as an RN under my belt before doing this. Truly, I don't think that program should allow people in who have no nursing experience as it relies almost extensively on its students' prior knowledge. It is all self-teaching, and so my ER docs and wonderful preceptor, combined with my 6 years as a nurse, got me through that program and now through certification. I enjoyed the Kellerman review course, but I don't think it in any way is what pushed me through the tests. I more enjoyed the novelty of having my classmates from all around the country attend and be together for an actual classroom learning experience than the class learning itself. My classmates also enjoyed the course, and most said they feel it was very helpful to them. But as I alluded to before, I am more of an "experience learner." I need to be there, watch it, then do it. That's how I learn.

Now, as for the tests themselves: I applied for the AANP and ANCC at the same time (11/13/13). And I took the nearest available testing time slot when given the ATT number by each. In this regard, I was able to test on Dec 17th for the AANP. ANCC is a very frustrating bunch of folks, though. Soooo slow. I didn't hear from them again until late January, and then I still didn't get my ATT until early Feb. I finally tested on Feb 13th for the ANCC. Geez. AANP was so much more easy to get in to. At any rate, my tips for taking these are not going to make anyone satisfied or happy I'm sure...

Truthfully, I went in to both tests with not a care in the world, just like when I took my NCLEX years ago. I don't get stressed very easily, which is why I ended up working in the ER. LOL! So I finished the AANP's 150 questions in 1 hr and 45 minutes. I took my time, but wasn't impressed by it. Seemed fairly straightforward to me. Only maybe two ethical/fluffy questions. The rest were pretty much straight up clinical. On the ANCC, I finished its 200 questions in 90 minutes flat. I burned through it. That is not to say I thought it was necessarily easier, per se, but that since I didn't need to pass it at this point, I was less inclined to linger over a question I was unsure of. LOL! Anyway, you can definitely tell a difference in the look/feel of the two tests. If I had taken the ANCC first, then I probably would have been thinking it was the more difficult of the two. It had select all that apply, drag and drop, click the marker over the area being described, and diagnose a condition from a picture being shown. None of that was on the AANP, which was just black and white questions. ANCC had a good bit of ethical/situational/whatwouldyoudo/etc type questions that were basically like asking what is the right thing for the pt. Also, it had some small amount of theories or learning models or change models discussed as well. Nothing too intense, though. Those probably only made up 10% of the test.

So why did I take both tests? I'm a glutton for being able to say "I took both and STILL passed." I really am. I got so tired of people saying what they "thought" the differences between the tests were that I decided I'd find out for myself. I know. I'm a weirdo. Whatever. Also, it's kind of self-validating to know that it wasn't simply a fluke that I passed the first one. I didn't just skim on over the top. I can say I took certification exams from two completely different entities and passed both of them. So I must have some sort of true grounding in the basics, right? LOL!

So in the end, I think that it mostly had to do with my nursing background, my preceptor, and my self-confidence. No amount of last minute studying is gonna allow you to climb over that certification fence. Not that studying is a bad thing. I think we should always strive to improve on our weak areas (Neuro, ugh). But I just don't see that going through 2 years of additional college only to end up cramming for a month is gonna do a world of help. I bet the majority of those same ones who cram for a month and then pass or fail would still pass or fail regardless of whether they had crammed or not. Just an opinion, not a fact, of course! LOL! And lengthy studying may be just the thing someone needs to boost their self-confidence and reduce their stress level enough to feel comfortable while testing. This is only my experience, and everyone is made different. If you all have any questions, feel free to ask. I don't mind. But I'm afraid any questions regarding methods of study will be met with a blank stare, as I just didn't truly commit to it. Hope this helped somebody, though! Toodles! :)

[flipper628]

Got any jobs/interviews lined up?

Congrats on passing!

[Bumashes, MSN, APRN, NP]

I've had about 8 interviews so far. Phone and face to face both. I got offered 3 of the positions but had to decline due to family issues or just a weird feeling about the place (Example: my husband is a quadriplegic, so I CAN'T work night shift. LOL!). I'm waiting on one that is supposed to let me know something this week, and I just interviewed at my preceptor's office today. They are going to decide by early next week. Being in MS, I am strangled by the 720 hour mandatory supervised practice regulation as I begin as a new NP. This causes most employers to regard you as untouchable, and so we often end up taking awful jobs to start out with. Hoping my preceptor will overlook that cuz she'd be wonderful to work for. But, we'll see. And thanks for the congrats!

[futureeastcoastNP]

Congratulations Bumashes, and I wish you luck on your job search. I had no idea about the 720 hours supervision in MS - after that are you then fully independent? I know in New York they are working on a bill that NPs work X number of hours with a physician, at which point they can be fully independent and without supervision/collaboration at all.

8 interviews is really good for AGNP isn't it? How is the competition for those sort of jobs? Did you start looking for jobs before graduation?

[Cehurstrn]

Congratulations on this! That is fantastic! And thank you for posting this. :) I'm applying to the Adult-Gero Primary Care program for the fall of this year. My question is where did you do your clinical hours - were they all in the ER? I am wanting to start gathering preceptors for my clinicals, but I wanted to ask someone who has gone through the program where they had done them.

[TammyG]

Bumashes, thank you for your very helpful post about the certification tests. It did not occur to me to take both and I don't know anyone who did that. I am planning to take 2 months off after graduation (coming up soon) to study for the test(s), relax and work some hours. But perhaps 1 month is plenty. I do want to feel prepared so I don't think I would feel comfortable going the next week. I was hoping to study now and then during the semester, but that isn't going to happen. Just too much going on.

I was interested to hear that you believe you learned a good foundation from your work as an RN. I work as an RN also, but not in primary care (my NP field) and am concerned that I will be behind for that reason.

Anyway, thanks again for posting, I enjoyed reading.