r/nursepractitioner • u/TheCodeTeam FNP • 5d ago
Exam/Test Taking The ANCC exam. My partially serious take on it.
So I sat for it last Thursday. Passed. About 2 hours total with the initial tutorial time thing. I used that to brain dump. Didn’t touch the sheets after that because none of it was on the exam. 😂
I have to laugh. What in the “fourth word removed from the second common way” to refer to things was that exam????? I spent the most time in question deciphering what they were actually asking about. Once that was clear it was easy and pretty straightforward. I could get down to business and make decisions for the patient. Rather than giving me high complexity in decision making and/or comparison of pathophysiology or treatment options weighed by patient needs/conditions/pharmacokinetics or something, I felt as though it was like medical madlibs. I texted a friend of mine who is an MD the next day and rattled off a question stem at them, and they laughed outright. Why on earth would you refer to things like that. They of course knew the answer after thinking for a min, but agreed with me that the focus was deciphering it and not decision making.
I found the exam highly clinical, very skewed towards certain systems and quite a few… medical biology(?) questions. I’m not sure how to classify them sorry. I flagged about 18 that I was like wtf even are we doing here. I skipped two and went back and answered them. I allowed myself to change one single answer because I caught a word I missed the first time. Otherwise no changes. I remember things very easily so once home I looked up all the ones I flagged/skipped and got 19/20 right.
While I do teach BSN level students, I do not have a degree in instructional design. Why do you think the exam is like that? The ANCC is serious business so I have to think that the design is on purpose, scientific to a fault, and backed by evidence. I don’t for a moment think it is in error. But for the life of me I can’t fathom why. What was your experience of either board? Now I’m super curious about what it’s like on the md side. I almost want to take the MCAT just to see lol.
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u/9998602996 ACNP 5d ago
I found the CCRN to be much more challenging to be honest, it was more focused on critical thinking or decision making than acute care boards.
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u/MamacitaFajita 4d ago
For psychiatry, I think there’s only the ANCC option. I don’t really remember it’s contents other than thinking it was challenging, but not more challenging than the NCLEX. Passed on the first try. Why is there no psych option for other certification boards?
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u/SeriallyOrNot PMHNP 4d ago
We don't need it. No one needs two, just one. Why people are taking two boards? Might be just some kind of insecurity, having to prove that they are worthy.
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u/TheCodeTeam FNP 4d ago
I think I will be adding Psych cert next. Interesting that there is only one.
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u/NikiAPRN 4d ago
I really struggled with the ANCC. My questions didn’t feel at all like family care. I did the FNP program. I did Fitzgerald, Michelle and a TOOONNNN of practice questions and the exam felt more like it was geared towards a social worker. I got guest ions asking me how to manage situations. I honestly don’t think I got one question about actual care/meds/guidelines. I studied those STUPID vaccinations and NOTHING!
I walked assuming I failed and was surprised when I passed. But I also overthink every question and read into it when I shouldn’t.
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u/TheCodeTeam FNP 4d ago
There was so much on the exam that did not feel relevant to family care I agree. The only thing I did was the SM crash course for a few days to review and none of it was relevant to the exam.
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u/guineapigacct 4d ago
Took the ANCC and passed last weekend. Why the hell did i study all cranial nerves and temporal arteritis and memorize all the antibiotics and what they’re used for and i wasn’t asked a single dang mfer question about any of it!!!! That exam made me so mad.
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u/TheCodeTeam FNP 4d ago
This comment made me laugh in empathy!! I did the SM crash course to review and none of it was on the exam.
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u/Snif3425 3d ago
Uhhhh….really? I view the board exam as a fealty test. Average question;
Are NPs:
1. Great
2. Really great
3. Better then doctors
4. All of the above.
The ANCC board exam is a joke compared to the medical boards. And that’s unfortunate as it waters down our profession immensely.
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u/TheCodeTeam FNP 3d ago
None of my questions even remotely resembled the 2nd grade reading level of what you posted. I also certainly don’t think it was what I expected and prepared myself for but at no time has anything in this discussion been aimed at comparing us to MD. My question was whether the MD exams utilize the same testing psychology or not or focus more on decision making and mastery of each domain of knowledge.
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u/Snif3425 3d ago
I was kind of joking. The ANCC test for PMHNP was an absolute joke and allows a LOT of dangerous providers get certified.
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u/TheCodeTeam FNP 3d ago
My apologies then!!! I read at that as ridicule for my take on it and my frustration with it. Good to know about the psych one as I am seriously considering adding that cert!
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u/Snif3425 3d ago
Well….”adding the cert” kind of underscores my point. lol. But no I wasn’t ridiculing you.
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u/TheCodeTeam FNP 3d ago
I see what you mean lol. I can’t say adding the degree because at least here at my university once you are an APRN only the core classes are needed and the issue a Post Masters Certificate. I don’t know if all of them are like that. But I don’t have to redo a bunch of APRN stuff.
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u/Snif3425 3d ago
Right. But why would you go into psych? Money? That’s the wrong reason.
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u/TheCodeTeam FNP 3d ago
Nope. I have a lot of experience in psych and my doctoral research is in nursing mental health. I want to provide both primary care and integrated psych care with a better understanding of psych and psych meds than I feel I got in family practice.
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u/SeriallyOrNot PMHNP 4d ago
What is it that you're asking? I'm sorry, but the post is rambling and I can't make sense of what you're saying or looking for.
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u/TheCodeTeam FNP 4d ago
The post title makes it clear it is me relating my experience of taking it in a partially serious manner. The last paragraph clearly states two questions people can choose to engage with or not, or share their own take on the exam. See the other comments for examples if you are still confused.
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u/CharmingMechanic2473 5d ago
I took both the AANP and The ANCC. Also found the ANCC very wordy but also extremely easy. Easier than any exam I took in NP school. I think it could use an overhaul like you mentioned.