Recently failed ANCC n AANP

Published

Hello everyone,

I'm new to the forum, but needed some advice and encouragement. I took the AANP exam last month, and didn't pass. I felt the exam was going well until I started getting tons of dermatology questions, and several pediatric questions that I just couldn't bring to memory. I studied hard for 2 1/2 weeks before taking the ANCC and failed by 19 points. Again, I felt the test was going well until I started receiving tons of policy questions and terminology that I was not familiar with. There was also the multiple multiples, and several photos that were of poor quality. I was confident that I had passed the ANCC until the end. I have recently completed the 15 CEUs for AANP, registered for the exam, and waiting to hear back from AANP. I'm so stressed out, on top of that I constantly have coworkers asking me about when I'm testing. I attended the Fitzgerskd review, read Leiks book, and listened to Barkley CDs. I will admit that I didn't do many practice quizzes for AANP, which might have been my down fall. Does anyone have any suggestions??

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I attended the APEA live review and listened to an old copy of Fitzgerald. I think the area that really helped me the most was the APEA Qbank. Some of the questions are pretty basic, but the explanations are pretty thorough and got me thinking about important concepts. There are options to see only questions you have never seen which I used until I had seen them all. There is also an option to see only questions you have missed which I used until I got them all correct. That alone is 1000 questions (a few repeats in the mix) which is a good start. The AANP predictor gives you a good idea of the type of questions and topics covered.

I made notes throughout the study process (about problem areas, tidbits I didn't remember, and things that I'm pretty sure I never knew lol) which I used as a study guide the few days before the exam. However, I took the live review almost 3 months before I tested and studied off and on during those months so that I wouldn't feel rushed. Passed the first time.

That being said, you have already taken a whole exam and were pretty close to passing. You know more of what the testing situation is like and what topics you are weak in. The AANP has 2 versions (I think) so the questions will be different, but I'd imagine the emphasis on topics will be similar. Study your weak spots (even though its easier to study what we already know to boost our confidence). Did you take a break in the middle? There's an exhaustion point for everyone and if you need to take a break at a certain number of questions or time, do so. I got up halfway through, walked around, used the restroom, and came back. I also took mini breaks where I just closed my eyes for a few moments to refresh my brain. Just my two cents.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I attended the APEA live review and listened to an old copy of Fitzgerald. I think the area that really helped me the most was the APEA Qbank. Some of the questions are pretty basic, but the explanations are pretty thorough and got me thinking about important concepts. There are options to see only questions you have never seen which I used until I had seen them all. There is also an option to see only questions you have missed which I used until I got them all correct. That alone is 1000 questions (a few repeats in the mix) which is a good start. The AANP predictor gives you a good idea of the type of questions and topics covered.

I made notes throughout the study process (about problem areas, tidbits I didn't remember, and things that I'm pretty sure I never knew lol) which I used as a study guide the few days before the exam. However, I took the live review almost 3 months before I tested and studied off and on during those months so that I wouldn't feel rushed. Passed the first time.

That being said, you have already taken a whole exam and were pretty close to passing. You know more of what the testing situation is like and what topics you are weak in. The AANP has 2 versions (I think) so the questions will be different, but I'd imagine the emphasis on topics will be similar. Study your weak spots (even though its easier to study what we already know to boost our confidence). Did you take a break in the middle? There's an exhaustion point for everyone and if you need to take a break at a certain number of questions or time, do so. I got up halfway through, walked around, used the restroom, and came back. I also took mini breaks where I just closed my eyes for a few moments to refresh my brain. Just my two cents.

Thank you for your tips, newFNP! Congratulations on passing as well ;-)

Did you review the professional/ethical issues for the AANP exam at all?

Thank you!

Sent from my iPhone

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thanks for your response, for the ANCC I did not study the non clinical questions as much as I should. I had only two cultural questions, and lots of questions that pertained to different types of leadership, healthcare policies, and other professional type questions. I believe had I studied more of the professional/ethical content I would have passed. I did take a break from the books, but plan to start studying this weekend. Thanks again

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Do tons of Leik practice questions and pay for both the Family NP and Adult-Gero NP practice exams through the AANP website, if you haven't done so already. Good luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thank you FNP2015, I was unaware that I could also register for the Adult-Gero exam. I heard they were retiring that exam, however I did notice it is listed as an opinion on the AANP website. I will consider this as well. In the meantime I'm going to revisit my weak areas. Which were planning and diagnosis for AANP..

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Also I didn't mention this, but I attended a live Fitzgerald review course. I felt she was very thorough, and provided information that would be extremely useful in practice. I don't feel that her review prepared me for the examination. I'm trying to decide if I want to use her material or stick with the Leik and Barkley..

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Just to be clear, I was referring to the Adult-Gero practice examination on their website. Not the actual exam- don't pay for something you can't use!! I had a couple of questions on my actual exam that were ver batim from that practice test. Good luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neuroscience, Cardiac Nursing.

The adult- Gero exam is new. The one being retired is the adult np exam ( the one without the Gero).

Up Vote Up Vote ×

The solo Gerontology NP exam is being retired, too. It will all be Adult-Gero from now on.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Thanks for your response, for the ANCC I did not study the non clinical questions as much as I should. I had only two cultural questions, and lots of questions that pertained to different types of leadership, healthcare policies, and other professional type questions. I believe had I studied more of the professional/ethical content I would have passed. I did take a break from the books, but plan to start studying this weekend. Thanks again

This book has a really helpful chapter on the leadership, policy, etc. questions:

Adult-Gerontology and Family Nurse Practitioner Certification Examination: Review Questions and Strategies: 9780803627048: Medicine & Health Science Books @ Amazon.com

My favorite strategy while studying for my ANCC certification exam was to buy a book like that, read it and then sell it as a used book on Amazon. I would usually get most of money back doing that. :)

I also like Amelie Hollier's Qbank a lot. Good rationales/explanations, and lots of questions.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Midwifery and Family NP.

Did you answer all the questions in the practice books until you got them right? I went through Liek thre times, was getting 97% of them right, then went through the ones I had missed again the 4th time. I posted how I studied on the student site, you can look for it.

i studied Liek, Holliers book, Ftiz book and CDs, and Barkley CDs and manual. I studied three hours a day for at least three days a week for 6 weeks. I am an "A" student but I wanted to have a solid knowledge foundation. I felt ready when I consistently got 95-98% on the Hollier and Liek questions. I signed up and took the AANP test, passed it and then went to the live Barkely review. The Barkley review was my Plan B in case I did not pass which helped decrease my anxiety about the test.

BTW I took the HESI test (required by my school as an exit exam) and got a 920, with 700 as passing. I was getting anywhere from the low 70 to the mid 80s on the practice questions the first time. Any questions that I missed two times (or guessed two time) was made into a flash card after I researched the answer. BTW Liek has at least 38 wrongs answers or rationales in her test book, if you pulled some similar questions on the board and relied on her, she may have been partly responsible for failure.

Flashcards did did help me, there is a free app for the iPad called Brainscape. You have to make up your own flash cards but when you answer them you can mark them as 1=I don't know it to 5=I have mastered this. The lower numbered questions get repeated more often until you get them right. I started using this later, wish I had used them from the beginning. It is a good way to reinforce your weak areas. Don't just ask questions, ask about the patio behind the question that stumped you. If the answer was "a left shift" ask, "what does a left shift in WBCs mean? What will you see?"

I also made made up mnemonics to help me with some things. What is lost in presbycusis? Hi-C, as in the Hawaiian punch drink, it means high tones and consonants. Silly but I remembered it. Come up with ones that help you remember what is hard for you. I used Mr Ass and MS Ard for my murmurs (had two of them, one systolic, one diastolic).

I also had a EKG, but I am pretty sure it was a practice question. It was also very difficult to see.

i took the AANP last Saturday so I don't have the total score but look where your di poor,y and focus on that. Get a study partner that will put you through the hoops, not just answering questions but asking you why the answer is correct so that you understand the why behind it. Good luck.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion