PNCB CPNP-AC Exam

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Specializes in NICU, Pediatrics, Nursing Education.

Is anyone else here getting ready to take it or recently took it this year? I'm taking it next month and I'm kind of nervous! I feel that my program was really good, but I have heard from most people that it's the hardest test you will ever take. I'm using the NAPNAP Conference notes, Lange Q&A Pediatrics, and Pediatric Critical Care Review. I also purchased the $75 Acute Care Prep Exam from PNCB. I'm curious if anyone is (or just recently) in my shoes and what you felt was most helpful in preparing.

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Specializes in PICU.

I actually thought the CCRN exam was harder, so don't worry too much, lol. But you need to study a lot. The hard part is the content covers so much information. I used about 7 different sources for studying, my school did a review class and I felt my program did a good job pointing out the basic important stuff that everyone should know. It's definitely nerve wracking but everyone I know who has taken it passed the first time:)

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Specializes in NICU, Pediatrics, Nursing Education.

So it's 8 years later and I'm finally responding back to this post. I took the CPNP-AC twice in 2014 and made 396 both times (400 needed to pass). I was totally down on myself, decided that I wasn't smart enough to be an APRN, and moved on with my life. I got my DNP, my CNE, and my PED-BC certifications in the meantime. Jump forward to after a 2 year whirlwind pandemic, loss of very much loved family members, and a want to not leave things un-finished... and here we are 8 years later. I actually took the CPNP-AC last Wednesday and passed!! I'm waiting on the "final" results email. After 8 years of not practicing or studying as an APRN/student, I was really terrified of this experience. However, I wanted to share what I did in case anyone reading this is feeling nervous or discouraged. I bought the self-paced NAPNAP acute care review course. I worked through the lectures over 7 weeks, placing specific study times on my calendar to block out the time. I followed my study plan fairly well, but also gave myself grace when unexpected things got in the way. I also bought the two 75-question exams and the one 50 question drill quiz from PNCB on acute care. These were super helpful for pre and post... I took them before I started studying to gauge where I was, a few times in between to help me with important content, and then after I was done studying before I took the actual exam. I also printed and used the CPNP-AC exam blueprint (that is an absolute must!). Lastly, I bought Nelson's Pediatrics and used that to dive deeper into content that I didn't understand or needed fairly in-depth refreshment on. I honestly thought I'd never be an APRN... so I guess the moral of my story is to never give up on your dreams. ?

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Hi! 
I have been searching for any moral support. I took the CPNP-AC exam last year and failed. I can’t seem to muster up the stamina to study all over again despite my exam being rescheduled for next month.  I am a NICU nurse with not much PICU experience so thought that may have contributed somewhat to failing originally. Just out of curiousity, I know a lot of time passed between when you took the test last but was the formatting the same? I’m wondering if I should focus on the topics I remember being on there that I wasn’t prepared for or if I won’t even see the same areas again…. 
thanks and congratulations to you! 

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Specializes in NICU, Pediatrics, Nursing Education.

Hi there,

I am also a NICU nurse with no PICU experience. I know that PNCB has 3-4 different exams, so you might see some different content. However, PNCB does a review of PNP job roles and tasks every 3-4 years and they update their content and questions based on that. So I say all that to say... I highly encourage you to look at the current acute care test blueprint. It will list the 4 main areas (assessment, diagnosis, management, and professional practice), as well as a rank order of the body systems. I used this plus the NAPNAP acute care review course to guide my studying. It really is possible to pass if you schedule out time to focus on the content, use the test blueprint, and follow along with the NAPNAP review course. They are offering a virtual live review course in September, so if you do better with synchronous learning that might be a better option for you. Best of luck... you can do it!

-E

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Thank you so much for the quick response. I attended the NAPNAP virtual review last year and used the 2020 book to study last time but I’m going to stick with it again. And just keep plowing through… 

fingers crossed thanks again! 
best,

alex 

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Specializes in NICU, Pediatrics, Nursing Education.

Also, look at your report on what you scored below competence on from your last exam. Mine was management so I studied heavily on how to manage diseases that were discussed in the NAPNAP review course.

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