AANP Practice Test Questions & Exam Prep

AANP  factsheet

You studied hard, got your diploma, and now you are ready to clear the final hurdle - obtaining certification to become a nurse practitioner. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of options for certification, but you may choose to take an AANP exam and become certified through the AANP Certification Board.

Taking a practice test can be a big help. It will prepare you for the final exam by presenting the kinds of questions you will need to answer and the test format you can expect to encounter. Plus, our AANP practice questions will give you an idea of the amount of time you can devote to formulating your answers. Best of all, our practice exams give you feedback, so you understand your strengths and what areas you need to work on before taking the final test.

AANP exam prep is a great way to be confident and ensure your exam goes smoothly. You can even choose to take a free AANP practice test with Exam Edge before purchasing the complete version so you get an idea of what to expect. We are proud to offer nursing practice tests that cover nursing careers of all kinds. For the AANP test prep you need to ace your final exam, choose Exam Edge.

Read on to learn more about the path to AANP certification and how practice tests from Exam Edge can help you cross the finish line!

What is AANP?

The AANP, or the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, is a national organization for nurse practitioners of all specialties. It provides nurses with resources, advocacy, and educational opportunities to enhance their practice.

The AANP is a professional membership group, not a credentialing organization. A separate body - the American Association of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) - provides certifications for nurse practitioners. The AANPCB was created in 1993 as the AANP Certification Program, but it has been an independent nonprofit organization operating under its current Certification Board name since 1999.

The AANPCB offers 3 certifications:

• Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
• Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (A-GNP)
• Emergency Nurse Practitioner (ENP)

The official tests that must be passed for a nurse to earn an AANP certification are colloquially known as AANP exams.

Who Should Take AANP Certification Tests?

If you are looking to get certified in nursing and nursing specialties, an AANP test may be for you. While certain eligibility requirements need to be met in order to register for the test, anyone hoping to become a nurse can benefit from taking the AANP. In fact, it is one of just two qualifying exams available for nurses seeking licensure and is specifically geared towards those who want to focus their careers on clinical practice.

The other qualifying exam, the ANCC, also assesses your applied clinical skills, but it has more of a theoretical and academic emphasis. If you aspire to work in research or academia, you might want to consider the ANCC instead. To learn more about the differences between the two, check out our ANCC vs. AANP blog article.

What is AANP Certification?

There are millions of nurses in the United States, and all must be certified by various licensing boards before they begin practicing professionally. For nurse practitioners (NP), there are options for everyone from the American Nurses Credentialing Center to the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board. You can also become licensed through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and the AANP Certification Board. They offer year-round, computer-based testing for those wishing to practice in the fields of adult, family, and gerontologic nursing.

What are AANP Certification Requirements?

To achieve certification, you need to take and pass the AANP exam for your intended credential. If you are not sure where to get started, follow these detailed steps:

Step 1: Check Eligibility and Apply
To apply for AANP certification, you must meet their eligibility requirements. These will generally include:

• Having a current RN license
• Holding a master's, postgraduate, or doctoral degree from a nurse practitioner program
• Completing specific coursework

Once you have determined your eligibility, you can apply online through the AANPCB website. The application process includes submitting your academic transcripts and paying the application fee.

Try not to sign up too early, though – you will want to register during your final semester of nursing school to ensure you have studied all the possible test material!

Step 2: Schedule the Exam
After your application has been reviewed and approved, you will receive an email from AANPCB with instructions on how to schedule your exam. AANPCB exams are computer-based and are offered at PSI Testing Centers throughout the United States. You can choose the date, time, and testing center location that works best for you.

Step 3: Practice, Practice, Practice
After registration, be sure to incorporate plenty of AANP practice exams into your studies. It is the best way to help you retain information and refresh your memory before the real test. They offer the most bang for your AANP test prep buck, too, as research has shown that practice tests are highly effective study tools.

Step 4: Take the Exam
On the day of the exam, ensure you arrive at the PSI Testing Center early with a valid government-issued ID. The exam is computer-based, and the time allowed for the test will depend on the specific certification.

For more information, visit the AANP Certification Board.

What are the different types of AANP Certifications?

The AANP offers 3 different certifications for nurse practitioners:

• Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
• Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGNP)
• Emergency Nurse Practitioner (ENP)

Read on to learn more about each test and determine which exam best suits your goals.

AANP Family Nurse Practitioner

The FNP exam is an entry-level certification test. It evaluates your competence and clinical abilities for patients across all age groups. The exam covers:

• Pathophysiology
• Pharmacology
• Physical assessment
• Evidence-informed practice

AANP Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

Another entry-level certification test, the AGNP exam assesses your competence and clinical abilities for adult patients, ranging from young adults and adolescents to older adults and the elderly. Its topics include:

• Health assessment
• Pathophysiology
• Therapeutics
• Evidence-informed practice

AANP Emergency Nurse Practitioner

The ENP exam evaluates you for an advanced specialty certification. This credential is for already-certified family nurse practitioners who have specialized knowledge and experience in emergency care. This test spans a vast range of topics and emergency procedures, including:

• Airway techniques and resuscitation
• Anesthesia and acute pain management
• Abdominal and gastrointestinal diagnoses and therapies
• Cardiovascular and thoracic
• Head, eye, ear, nose, and throat
• Musculoskeletal
• Nervous system
• Obstetrics and gynecology
• Psychobehavioral
• Renal and urogenital

Whichever certification you pursue, an AANP practice exam can help ensure you are prepared for the real exam. Keep reading and learn how to pass the AANP exam with flying colors.

How to Pass AANP Exams?

Curious about what makes an AANP practice exam passing score? In order to pass the AANP tests, you will need to score at least 500 points on a scale of 200-800. AANP exam prep with Exam Edge can help you get there, but you will need to first understand what to expect.

Comprised of 150 multiple-choice questions, the nurse practitioner exam is considered one of the hardest tests to pass. Designed to test the knowledge and insight of potential nurse practitioners, the AANP covers topics including, among others:

• The cardiovascular system
• The immune system
• The respiratory system
• The gastrointestinal system
• Care of diverse populations
• Health maintenance

These are just a handful of the content areas included in the AANP Nurse Practitioner exam, but you are likely to encounter other concepts on different tests. For more specifics, check out our full detailed breakdown of what content is on each AANP exam.

In terms of structure, AANP exam questions are broken down into the following categories:

• Assessment: Just over a third of the test questions evaluate your ability to figure out a patient's health needs based on their present complaints, relevant medical and illness history, and/or other patient information.
• Diagnosis: These questions make up about one-quarter of the exam and test your ability to develop or determine definitive diagnoses.
• Plan: About another quarter of the test questions measure your skills in creating a treatment plan that appropriately addresses a diagnosis and suits the patient's individual circumstances.
• Evaluation: Comprising about one-sixth of the test, these items assess your ability to discern the effectiveness of a treatment plan and make changes to increase its effectiveness.

Typical passing scores on the AANP range anywhere from 500 to 800 points. The test is ultimately a simple pass or fail, so as long as you earn 500 points, you do not need to be concerned about earning a perfect score! Learn more about how to pass the AANP exam.

Regardless of which test you plan to take however, you will want to incorporate as many AANP practice exams into your study sessions as you can.

AANP Exam Prep

Passing the AANP is arguably one of the most important steps in a nurse practitioner's career, so you will want to be ready for the big test day. You might be wondering how to prepare, especially if you feel that you have a limited amount of time to dedicate to studying. You are looking for the most efficient, effective forms of test prep for the AANP.

That is where we come in. AANP practice questions can give you the competitive edge you need to get a passing score, and Exam Edge can help you to practice and study for the test.

When you study hard, it shows in your test results. And with so much riding on the results of your AANP exam, you will not want to pass up this opportunity to practice and study ahead of the real thing! Take a practice AANP exam from Exam Edge today.

AANP Practice Exams

If you are anxious about scoring well on the AANP exam, consider including some practice tests in your AANP test prep strategy. With Exam Edge, you can practice not only the content of the test, but the time tracking of the exam as well. By getting comfortable with the added pressure of the ticking clock, you will eliminate a huge source of test-taking anxiety and be able to walk into test day calm and confident.

Plus, you can take our online practice tests anywhere - whether you are studying at home on the couch, from the library with a study buddy, or at your favorite coffee shop with a seasonal latte.

In addition to our full-length practice tests, we offer one free partial sample practice test for every exam on our site. When it comes time to take the real thing, you will be ready and confident for any question that comes your way. With only the AANP certification exam standing between you and your dream job as a nurse practitioner, our practice tests can give you the much-needed insight into your blind spots and hone in on exactly what you most need to study.

Try a FREE AANP Practice Test

The AANP exams are a key step in advancing your nursing career, and practice tests from Exam Edge can help you ace the test and earn your nurse practitioner certification. Try one of our sample tests free of charge and see how our AANP practice exam questions can help you level up your exam prep!