ryguyRN

There are plenty out there you just have to do some investigating.

I used the Barkley Review and the Leik book some before I took the AANP the first time and I failed by only one or two questions. I turned around and applied to take it again a few days later after completing the 15 edu credits on their website. Believe me I know it is discouraging and it makes you doubt yourself. I took 3 weeks to restudy and take the exam again. Don't wait too long. I study the Barkley and Leik books way more intensely ( actually I studied harder than I ever had before). I started with the Adult/Gero first and then studied certain topics in the peds section. I used a study partner the second time and it did help me retain more. Try not to put yourself down too much, plenty of people fail this exam, it is certainly not easy. The second time taking it I felt like I knew a lot more on the exam. The first time I took it I scored a 493 the second time I took it I scored a 581. I also used Leik's new app FNP Q&A ( its the questions from the book but you can use them on your phone and you can arrange them by topic, and it can give you the answer after each question or you can do the test option without them). Quizlet also has a lot of really good review cards that people have made. (one in particular Kick a** on boards I really liked) there is also a app for Quizlet. Hope you find this helpful and good luck on your retake, I have been there I know how you feel, it sucks but get back at it study like you never have before.

the app is called FNP Q&A but you can also search it in the apps store as Leik review. What I did was I would read/study my Barkley book by chapter (most of my focus was on Adult and Gero) because that is where more of your questions will be. Then I would read to supplement with the Leik review and then do some questions. The quiz partner thing really helped me and using some flashcards also works for me. Most of my scores (150 questions test) were in the 60's even before sitting for the exam. Believe me I know how it feels, keep pushing through, I didn't feel like I was making much progress. But as I did get closer to the test, about 3 weeks of 6 hours a day studying I finally started to feel like I was knowing more content. I would make a list of topics and going down the list either write it out or talk out the assessment, lab/diagnostics and treatment for each thing. Know your norms from abnorms with Geros and medication specifics (Leik has good info on those sections but don't memorize dosages). I didn't want to wait long before taking the exam, 3 weeks was a good amount of time for me, I was studying before I got my ATT then when I did I scheduled the exam about 4 days later. I also had a job waiting on me to pass. What I felt helped the second time was really diving into the information learning it however you do best (I like to talk it out either out-loud or in my head, for the past 3 weeks I don't think I have ever studied anything so hard in my life.

I am proud to say that I passed the AANP FNP exam today. I was feeling stressed, I developed bronchitis several days prior to the exam but I made it through.

I just passed the AANP FNP exam today, and I used the Barkley review, Leik Book 2nd ed. and APEA Qbank. I would say that the Leik book helped the most and then the Barkley review and then the APEA Qbank. I was scoring mostly in the 60's, I would also do some quizzes with stuff that I had missed. I got an app on my iphone that has the Leik book questions, I really liked using it, made the questions more convenient and I could do some after each chapter because you can customize it by system and it will give you the rationale after each question if you want. As people have said there was a lot stuff from the Leik material and those kinds of questions looked more like the real exam than the APEA Qbank. I also used Quizlet, its a free resource online and many students have already made some really good study materials, those helped to cement a lot of the main concepts. What ever you do don't cram, that is what I did the first time and I failed. I took about 3 weeks and studied everyday. Another thing with Barkley, he really pushes the quiz partner thing and I used one after failing, it really makes you realize what you don't know. I studied the material until I was sick and tired of looking at the material, I actually developed bronchitis a couple of days before the exam. Good luck in your studies.

Yes I have been studying much harder this go-round, having a quiz partner and using the APEA Qbank. I retake the AANP next week and I only failed by one or two questions. There has been some hold up with getting my ATT to schedule for the ANCC.

I got a job offer from my last semester clinical site an Urgent Care clinic. I know of some of my classmates that are having trouble but we just graduated in December. If you network while in school, and during clinical, this helps and you never know when a good job situation may come up.

Well it also comes down to if you enjoy the work and I do enjoy working in the role of the NP but I don't think I would take less than $40/hr. It is much different than being a bedside RN.

And I do think the Leik review is a better, more thorough review, I really like it and its a great value for the price.

I will be making double what I made as an RN, however I do live in the deep south. Where the RN pay is a little over $20/hr. starting. I have 5 years experience working Medical and Cardiac ICU. I am ready for the increase in pay as well as the excitement of doing something new/different (I will be primary care/urgent care). I will let you know if that changes once I start working in the next couple of weeks.

To answer your question Gdschild I think the first time I took the AANP I didn't go through the manual as thoroughly, I used the CD's and audio recordings. So now I have a quiz partner and I'm making sure I really learn the stuff that I am unfamiliar with. I did like the Barkley review and how some of the tips to remember info easier.

I took the Barkley review prior to testing the first time. I am using the APEA Qbank currently and should be able to schedule my retake by the end of the month. There are a ton of questions with it, what I like is being able take a test or short quiz or on any specific systems and go over the questions the using the Tutor option and I am able to retake those questions with the correct answer after each one. It is a good review, the questions aren't worded exactly like the AANP but they are challenging questions. Hopefully it will prove helpful, good luck when you decide to test.

I just found out the I got a 493 on the AANP and needed a 500 to pass. I guess I just didn't know it well enough to fail just by one or two questions, so close, I will be studying and trying to retake and PASS at the end of the month.

lotus77, I will be taking the ANCC as well as the AANP (second attempt). Any advise on ANCC fnp exam, thanks.

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