Passed ACNP exam

carachel2 · Feb 23, 2010

CONGRATS!!!! Doesn't that feel good???

I took and passed the ANCC FNP board exam yesterday as well. I think the test could've been clinically MUCH more challenging so in that aspect it wasn't bad at all. The test questions that were hard to me were NOTHING I could've studied for as they involved weird interpretations and definitions on research, policy and professional issues in a way that you just can't prepare for (this is not indulging information about the test since the ANCC outline on the website says there are research, policy and professional questions!). I took the Fitzgerald live class and also REALLY used the Leik book which honestly I found to be almost more helpful than Fitzgerald. I did find maybe 2-3 mistakes in the LEIK book though. Even with that, I would still purchase the book. There are many, many specific exam tips in the Leik book that I most definitely found on the exam itself.

For those who haven't tested yet, here was my study plan:

2.5-3 weeks before the test = daily study of about 2-4 hours (depending on how distracted I was, LOL!)

1.Review a section in Leik (i.e. derm)

2. Review same section (derm) in Fitzgerald study book and then the spiral bound book from the class

3. Drill home the main points with flashcards. I used flashmybrain.com and really, really found the program to be useful. you can make virtual flashcards that look very real and you can print them out if you want. On days when I had limited time I would pull about 2 sets of flashcards on my laptop and flip through them while my child was doing homework, etc. Very helpful for a geriatric brain like mine!

I didn't study much the day before, rested and took it easy. Prometric won't allow you to to take any candy (even unwrapped) into the testing area and not even any lip balm! If you wear a jacket you have to either keep it on the whole time or take a break to put it up and then fingerprint back in! Once you are done with the test, stay seated because the screen will go blank (don't faint!) and you have to fill out a survey. When you check out, they are supposed to be able to immediately print up your results and hand them to you but something went wrong with mine and it took 15 tachycardic minutes for them to print mine out.

Now it's just a waiting game to finish the licensure and prescriptive process and then start my first job!

allnurses Guide · Feb 24, 2010

Congrats to both of you!!!

Trauma Columnist · Feb 24, 2010

Congrats to both of you!

Christen, ANP · Feb 26, 2010

Congratulations!

NurseKJ · Feb 26, 2010

Congrats to both of you and thanks for the advice! Do either of you have jobs lined up? If so, what are they, and how long ago did you start applying?

thanks again!!

carachel2 · Feb 26, 2010

I've had a part-time job lined up at a family practice office for months. They are just patiently waiting for me to get everything done. In Texas, you can have interim approval to practice once you are approved to take your boards, but that approval does NOT include prescriptive authority. For me the idea of starting to work without prescriptive authority was just not right.....confusion for the patients, more work for the physician I would be with. I think it will be about three more weeks and I'll be good to go. Total time from graduation to practice will be right at 3.5 months.

NurseKJ · Feb 26, 2010

oh I see... how long after you pass can you take the boards? did you take aanp or aanc?

have you hammered out an orientation yet?

carachel2 · Feb 26, 2010

It took about 3.5-4 weeks just to get the official transcripts from my school after graduation. Then you have to apply to the ANCC for permission to test. I waited about 4-5 weeks for this permission that never came and then I heard that you can pay an extra fee ($100.00) to "expedite" your application. I did this because I was tired of studying with no concrete test date in mind AND supposedly the format and content of the ANCC FNP test is changing after 2/28.

So to answer your questions...if you don't pay the expedite fee you are looking at 8 weeks potentially before you will get permission from the ANCC. I've heard about the same from ANP testers.

Orientation = need to talk about that further. It is a smaller office with no EMR so I predict we will kind of make it up as we go along.

cozzy66 · Mar 18, 2010

Hey all,

Congrats to everyone who passed!

I'm taking the ACNP exam on Saturday. I'm pretty nervous about it, but feel like I've put in a decent amount of studying.. hopefully. I listened to all of the Sally Miller review CDs, read the majority of the ACNP practice guidelines by Barkley (that ~1000page spiral book) and am now going systematically through the Barbara Todd Q book, although I probably won't finish all the Qs by Friday.

Any advice? Any specific topics I should have drilled into my head?

Thanks,

Mary

celclt · Mar 18, 2010

good luck! sounds like you are ready!

cruisin_woodward · Mar 19, 2010

It took about 3.5-4 weeks just to get the official transcripts from my school after graduation. Then you have to apply to the ANCC for permission to test. I waited about 4-5 weeks for this permission that never came and then I heard that you can pay an extra fee ($100.00) to "expedite" your application. I did this because I was tired of studying with no concrete test date in mind AND supposedly the format and content of the ANCC FNP test is changing after 2/28.
So to answer your questions...if you don't pay the expedite fee you are looking at 8 weeks potentially before you will get permission from the ANCC. I've heard about the same from ANP testers.
Orientation = need to talk about that further. It is a smaller office with no EMR so I predict we will kind of make it up as we go along.

I wonder why it takes so long? I took my nursing boards (NCLEX) 4 weeks after graduation. I wonder why NP boards are so much longer? It is frustrating, and it almost seems fraudulent that it takes paying to "expedite" your application!