Passed ANCC & AANP...and these are the resources that I would recommend

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So excited that this chapter of my life is officially OVER and I wanted to share my resources with you all. I can honestly say that I started studying in May and passed both test in September. I did plenty of questions (approximately 100-200) a day and review rationales like crazy. Thank you everyone who posted their resources which I used to accomplish this task. My study resources included:

1) FamilyNpPrep.com: I absolutely loved this website because you can pick which question data base that you want to study from ANCC or AANP and it felt like the real thing. Most of my questions on the real exam were on this websites mock exams. They had plenty of Ethical, Theoretical foundation, NP role, Healthcare policy/delivery. So if you're taking the ANCC then this is for you. It is also a timed test so you can set the clock to help you mimic the real exam. I can honestly say that it was worth every single dime...I used a discount code that doesn't expire that a friend/classmate gave me (SAVE-SLLT) that saved me 10% on the exams you can buy them in bundles of 5, 10 or all 20. I bought both the ANCC & AANP and I tell you what, I felt totally over prepared using this site because it simulated the actual exam.

2) Fitzgerald's NP Cert Exam & Practice Prep: This book is awesome, but goes into great detail. I also did her live course and I felt like the book followed the course hand-in-hand. Lots of great questions and tips after each subject. Her audio recording is great as well, but if you have them then there's no need to go to the live course because its EXACTLY the same. Save some money and buy the cds. I played these everyday, every where...her voice is permanently engraved in my head.

3) Kellerman's Necessary NP 1000 Questions: This is another great resource. Questions that I came across in this book was not found in any other book or resource that I used. It can only be ordered on her website which is necessaryworkshops.com it is pricey (approx $80), but worth all the money. I sat and did question after question and felt that this truly assisted in my success. The questions are in random subject order and it does also include NP role & theory questions as well.

4) Hollier's Adult & FNP Cert Practice Questions: I liked this book as well only thing is I felt that the questions were repetitive, but helpful because the more you saw the same questions the more familiar you were with the answers. It has 3 Adult exams, 3 FNP exams, 1 Peds exam along with specialty exams in Geriatrics, Men's Health and Women's Health. Good resource overall and she does have live courses as well. I've heard her speak at AANP national conference and she's pretty good.

5) Leik's FNP Cert: Intensive Review: I used this book towards the end of my studying. It really is an intense review because it reviews systems and their disorders and really helped with terminology. The end of the book has 500 questions, but no rationales to the answers. Also some of the information was out dated and I did find some mistakes in the book, but the fundamentals were there and it helped greatly.

My advice is to give your self time to study the material. Although school gave the foundation for our critical thinking we have to practice the questions and understand why we're doing what we're doing. And I truly felt that these resouces helped with that. I failed the ANCC exam the first time in June because I didn't give myself enough time and I didn't utilize all the resources available to me, but after visiting this site and reading bits and pieces of everyone elses advice on how to pass the test, I went into the testing center and both exams felt like a piece of cake. I was so suprised to see questions that I have done at home on the exam...it blew my mind. But then I remembered that I spent time, energy and money preparing so it should feel easy. I also wrote my rationales for questions that I got wrong in a notebook so that I can review whereever I was. That really helped me when I'm studying on the go. And some experts say that you are more likely to remember something that you wrote vs. something that you read. Anyway I hope this helps some of you out there studying for the exams. I really hoped that this review of resources helped.

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Specializes in women's health, NICU.

Omg! Thank you so much for this info......I plan to test (AANP) early next month, and your tips are good to have in mind as I prepare! I'm praying that I pass too! :-)

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No problem, bayouchick02...you will do wonderfully. Just take a deep breath and know that you have all you need to pass the test. With God's grace and your preparation you'll do great. I'm happy my tips were of help to someone. Please keep me updated on your success.

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Hi MLGDNP12...I'm taking the AANP exam in a few weeks. Which questions from Kellerman'snecessary NP questions did you buy for $80? I see the assessment test and then individual systems tests.I'm studying everyday and I don't think I'll ever feel prepared =\ can't wait to be done with this test!Thanks for your help!

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Hi Neelia06,

I bought the Necessary Family Nurse Practitioner 1000 Practice Questions Book by Kellermann. It had questions in random order. It was not categorized. I ordered the book from necessaryworkshops.com. You will be ready. Just remember that you have 150 questions and they can't put everything on the exam. Focus on common disease that occur commonly and what you as the NP should do or know about them. Go on the AANP website and review the testing domains. Besides Kellermann, which other resources are you using. I would truly recommend familynpprep.com. I think it will help easy your anxiety and help you feel comfortable anwering exam style questions. Read about it on my main post. I hope I have helped...please keep me updated on your success.

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You took both ANCC and AANP? Or am I misreading your post? If you did, I am just curious why you took both exams? Congrats on passing! I'm testing later this month.

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Hi AtomicWoman,

You did not misread the post I did take both. I am sort of a "what if girl" and the fact that I failed the ANCC in June and had to wait 90 days made me really nervous. So I didn't want to put all my eggs in one basket and applied to take both. I will probably only keep up with one to be honest, but I felt most comfortable knowing that I had the extra opportunities to be certified. Also I was angry at myself for failing the ANCC by 2 points and really wanted to prove to myself that I knew the information. So it became a challenge...Good luck on your exam. I'm sure you will do great.

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Thanks MLGDNP12!I read Fitzgerald, did Amelie's live review course, reading Leik, and now I need to do practice questions so I will buy Kellerman's book. I was also thinking of buying the practice questions on AANP's website for $50. My test is in a few weeks so trying to study a little bit everyday. I'll keep you posted!

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Specializes in women's health, NICU.

My exam is in a few weeks also, and so far I have listened to Hollier's review CDs , gone thru Fitzgerald's book, and now going through her CDs as well. I plan on doing questions from the family NP prep website that you mentioned. Based on your experience, do you think that will be enough? I tried to find more review questions, but there are so many different ones out there! I guess I'm starting to get antsy.....I have been reviewing just about everyday, for several hours a day for the last couple weeks :-/

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Thanks! I have since found out that some other people I know are signed up for both exams. Congrats on passing! What a relief. :)

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My exam is in a few weeks also, and so far I have listened to Hollier's review CDs , gone thru Fitzgerald's book, and now going through her CDs as well. I plan on doing questions from the family NP prep website that you mentioned. Based on your experience, do you think that will be enough? I tried to find more review questions, but there are so many different ones out there! I guess I'm starting to get antsy.....I have been reviewing just about everyday, for several hours a day for the last couple weeks :-/

I think you are doing well..the website has 20 (100 questions) exams available to buy for the exams. I would just do that and review rationales. Write down the answers to the questions that you miss. I even recorded myself reading my rationales so that I could listen to them as I drove, workout or whatever. And remember that the exam has 150-ANNP/175-ANCC questions, so dont over whelm yourself. And as I said before just remember that common diseases occur commonly. I know that you will do wonderfully. You just have to believe it as well...

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Were any of your resources helpful for the legal/ethical/policy questions on ANCC? So few resources have any info or questions about those topics. Fitzgerald has a handout and a CD, but I need some more practice questions on those topics. Thank you for letting us ask you so many questions!

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