How to Prepare for Your FNP Exam: Everything You Need to Know

Becoming a board certified Family Nurse Practitioner is a rewarding achievement that requires dedication and strategic preparation. By implementing effective study strategies, you can enhance your chances of success. In this blog, we will give you all the advice you need to navigate the FNP exams successfully.

The FNP board exam is your final step in the journey to becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner. These exams assess the knowledge and competency needed to provide primary care to patients and families across their lifespan. There are two main certifying bodies for FNPs: the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

What is the difference between AANP v ANCC?

One main difference between the two exams is the question types. The AANP consists of multiple-choice questions and the ANCC consists of multiple choice, drag and drop, select all that apply, and hot spot questions. The number of questions, exam lengths, and costs are similar between the two exams, but the content breakdown does differ. You can learn more about the two exams in this article comparing the AANP vs ANCC. Both exams are valid and allow you to practice as a nurse practitioner.

How to Prepare for Exam Day

Preparing for the FNP board exam requires careful planning and a systematic approach. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you prepare effectively:

Step 1: Take a Few Practice Exams

Use the feedback from the exams to gather your strengths and weaknesses. Use this information when creating your study schedule, devoting more time to your weaker content areas.

Step 2: Understand the Exam Structure and Content

Review the official exam blueprint of the exam you’re taking to understand the content areas covered and the percentage of questions in each section. Find the blueprint for the ANCC exam on nursingworld.org. Find the blueprint for the AANP exam on aanpcert.org.

Step 3: Gather Study Materials

You’ll want to consider using a review book, such as those recommended by your program or peers. Use your textbooks from your FNP program as a reference during your studies. Find study materials that can also map to your textbook, like Picmonic. Arguably the most important resource you can invest in is a high-quality test bank, like the TrueLearn FNP SmartBank. Use free resources such as YouTube videos to help further explain topics you may be struggling with.

Step 4: Create a Study Plan

Use the information you gathered in your practice tests to develop a realistic study schedule. Allocating more time to complex topics and topics you struggled with on the practice tests. Make sure to hit each content area in your plan to ensure thorough coverage of exam topics.

Step 5: Review Pharmacology

Refresh your knowledge of common medications used in primary care being sure to pay attention to drug interactions, contraindications, and side effects.

Step 6: Practice Questions

Practice questions are key to success on board exams. Practice questions are a way of engaging in active learning. Active learning has been proven to be an effective way to retain knowledge. When doing practice questions, always review the rationale provided with the question, no matter if you got the question right or wrong. This simple act can really help solidify your knowledge.  

Step 7: Create Study Aids

Depending on your learning style consider creating flashcards, mnemonic devices, or concept maps to help you link topics and see the bigger picture of the information you are studying.

Step 8: Simulate Exam Conditions

Take practice exams under timed conditions to simulate the actual testing environment. Gradually work yourself up to longer and longer sessions to help build your testing endurance.

How many questions are on the exam?

There are 175 questions on the ANCC exam and 150 questions on the AANP exam.

How long do I need to study for the FNP boards?

The ideal study duration varies from person to person depending on starting knowledge. On average we recommend anywhere from 6-12 weeks to fully prepare for the exam.

Top 3 Things You Need to Know 

1. Know how many times you can take your exam. Just for peace of mind, you should know what your next steps are in the unlikely event you don’t pass the first time.

• The AANP allows you to retake the exam twice per calendar year. After a failure, a minimum of 15 continuing education hours must be completed before retaking the exam.
• The ANCC allows you to retake the exam up to three times per 12 month period.

2. Know what to expect on exam day. Spend some time researching the testing center. Learn what forms of identification you need to bring with you. Map out the route to get there ahead of time to avoid added stress on exam day.
3. Know yourself. Self care is important when preparing for such a momentous exam. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day studying and forget to take care of yourself. Your brain is working overtime, and it needs a rest too! Schedule breaks during study sessions to avoid burnout. Be sure to get enough sleep nightly to refresh and recharge for another day of studying. It’s important to eat nutritious foods and move your body daily, as well.

Using TrueLearn to Study

TrueLearn’s FNP question bank is designed to prepare you for either AANP or ANCC exams. Our SmartBank includes over 1,800 FNP practice questions. Each question includes a high-quality answer rationale. Our performance dashboard provides analytics on your strengths and weaknesses and benchmarking to see where you stand in comparison to your peers across the country. With our first-time pass guarantee you can feel confident in your choice of using our FNP SmartBank.