Learn More About The Aacn Adult
Looking for additional ways to study for your AACN Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Board Exam? Visit the Advanced Practice Nursing section on our blog. There, youll find tips and tricks on preparing for the test, as well as practice questions to help you study and understand difficult AACN Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner concepts.
Which Exam Is More Expensive To Take
Taking the AANP exam will cost you $315, but you can lower the price to $240 by becoming a member of the organization.
for additional fees that you should know about.
If you want to take the ANCC exam, that will cost you $395. If you are a member of the ANA, the exam fee will be $295. Also if youre a member of the AANP that wants to take the ANCC exam, the fee will be $340.
Renewal Of The Certification
Both certifying boards require recertification every 5 years. However, the requirements vary and specify continuing education units as well as clinical practice hours. The ANCC requires 75 CE hours with a minimum of 25 CE hours in pharmacotherapeutics. The NP must also complete one or more of the following: minimum of 1000 practice hours in the specialty, take academic credits in the specialty area, provide presentations in the specialty area, participate in publication or research in evidence-based practice or quality improvement, provide professional services as a volunteer, a minimum of 120 preceptor hours, or retake the exam.
The AANP certification is also good for 5 years and offers 2 options for additional requirements to recertify. The first option is to complete 1000 clinical hours as an NP and a minimum of 100 CE hours in advanced practice courses including a minimum of 25 CE in pharmacology. The clinical hours can be completed as an employee, a volunteer or as a faculty member. Preceptor hours can be exchanged for a total of 25 CE credits. The second option is to take the exam again.
Learn more about ANCC pharmacology CEU here.
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Np Gerontology Certifications: Which Is Right For You
Mar 11, 2019 | Blog, Career Advice, Certification, Gerontology
| Listen to this article. |
Earning certifications of any kind can definitely help your nursing career. If you work with adults in gerontology, you have a couple of choices. So, how do you choose the one that would work best for your particular situation?
Robin Dennison, DNP, APRN, CCNS, NEA-BC, Director of Nursing Programs at the University of Saint Augustine for Health Sciences, answered some basic questions about the differences between the two for Nurse Practitioners .
Regarding gerontology certificationsspecifically the ACNPC-AG and the AGPCNP-BCwhat are the similarities between the two certifications? What are the major differences?
The ACNPC-AG is offered by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses via the AACN Certification Corporation. The AGPCNP-BC is offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center
While the fees are comparable, current memberships result in significant discounts. Membership in AACN or ANA results in a discount on the respective certification.
The test blueprints are similar, but the AACN certification has a greater percentage of the exam questions focused on clinical practice. The ANCC certification test blueprint has the majority of questions focused on clinical practice, but it has a greater percentage of questions focused on role-professional responsibilities and health care systems than the AACN examination.
The Ancc Exam Vs The Aanp Exam
The American Nurses Association is the governing body behind the ANCC. The certification test that they give to NP students has been around for longer, and certifies more specialties than the AANP exam.
This is why some people argue that an ANCC certification carries a little more weight and respect. Its not common practice, but you might find one or two employers that ask for ANCC certification.
The AANP exam is more recent, and has some differences that make it more appealing to many NPs. Some say the test is easier, more straightforward. Well explain those differences below to help you choose.
You should know, however, that theres no objective evidence that any of these exams provide you with better certification.
It all comes down to peoples preferences and bias. You should take the test that feels right for you .
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Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Sample Questions
Question 1 of 6
Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Sample Question 1
A patient who is an IV drug user presents with intermittent visual loss and fundoscopic eye exam shows white-centered hemorrhages in the retinal artery. Which of the following conditions does this patient most likely have?
- ERetinal artery occlusion
The correct answer is C. Infective endocarditis
Explanation: White-centered hemorrhages in the retinal artery on a fundoscopic examination are known as Roth spots. In association with intermittent visual lossespecially in a patient with IV drug use historythis finding is seen in Choice D . The initial diagnostic test would be a transthoracic echocardiogram but blood cultures would help in confirming the diagnosis. Retinal artery occlusion could present with a visual loss but the fundoscopic examination would show cherry-red spots. Cataracts do not present this way. It would present with problems with glaring at night or having difficulty reading fine print. Macular degeneration would present with loss of central vision and sparing peripheral vision. Viral conjunctivitis would present with red conjunctiva, eye drainage and crusting along with occasional blurry vision.
Reference:
Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Sample Question 2
- ATreatment for immune thrombocytopenia
- BPlasmapheresis for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
- CReassurance/observation
- ELiver biopsy and workup for acute hepatitis
Reference:
With All Of This In Mind Which Exam Should You Take
We recommend that you look into each exam a little more before making your choice. For that, you can go to:
Taking either of these exams might have a lot to do with your career goals, as well as your personal preference. Do you want to get more than one specialty? Do you prefer an exam that only has one type of question?
In the end, its all up to you . Planning out your career before you finish NP school will help you decide which of these tests to take.
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Do I Need To Take An Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Review Course
The BoardVitals Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Question Bank is intended to provide both practice and assessment with board-style questions, as well as learning and remediation through detailed explanations. These evidence-based rationales cover not only the best answer, but also the incorrect answers to provide context for your learning.
What Is The Difference Between The Ancc Or Aanpcb
The exam itself differs with regard to the question types. The AANPCB exam contains only multiple-choice questions, whereas the ANCC exam is made up of multiple-choice, multiple-response, drop-and-drag, and hotspot questions.
The focus of the questions also differs. The ANCC focuses on clinical information and decision-making, while the AANPCB includes questions on commonly performed minor procedures.
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What Review Materials Should I Use
For the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Board exam, there are several review options. I purchased the Barkley & Associates At Home Review, but many of my colleagues attended a Barkley Live Review Course and found it very helpful.
> > Explore Nurse Practitioner Certification Review Materials*
Of note, the Barkley review is more specific to the ANCC board exam . However, there was nothing comparable specific to the AACN exam, so I chose to try Barkley and was satisfied. Another available board exam review is through Fitzgerald and while I have not used it, some of my colleagues were pleased with the materials.
The Barkley At Home Review provided me with audio CDs, a review book and manual, and a practice exam. Additionally, when registering for my exam through the AACN, I was provided with 100 plus AACN specific practice questions and an exam outline.
Finally, I felt I needed more practice questions, so I signed up for a subscription to Board Vitals online question bank.
Of note, Barkley, Fitzgerald, and Board Vitals have reviews and study questions available for all Nurse Practitioner board exams, not just Acute Care.
The Biggest Difference Between The Ancc And The Aanps Exam Questions
In the AANP test you will only find multiple choice questions. Youll have to mark the correct option and then move on to the next question, no matter your specialty.
The ANCC, in contrast, will give you:
- Multiple choice questions: Select one option from many
- Multiple answer questions: Select all the options that apply
- Hot-spot questions: Mark a certain area of an image
The ANCC exam will also have a lot of more images for you to work with. They might show you things like EKG strips, pictures of physical symptoms, etcetera, for you to interpret and explain what you would do.
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How I Passed My Nurse Practitioner Board Certification Exam
By Danielle Leveck, DNP, ACNPC-AG, CNS, RN, CCRN
Youve just graduated Nurse Practitioner school and probably feel a sense of accomplishment and relief, then you realize you truly wont be able to relax until you pass your board exam.
For me, the last semester of my DNP program was so busy, that I barely felt I had time to research or study for my board exam. The following includes why I chose the board exam I did, my timeline for studying, the materials I used, and day of the exam tips. Also, although I tested for the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner exam, some of these tips are relevant to other nurse practitioner board exams as well.
Which Exam Do I Take To Become An Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
There are two available board exams for the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner one is through the American Nurses Credentialing Center and one through the American Association of Critical Care Nurses .
Both will certify you as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, so which do you choose? When I began this decision-making process, I found little to no valid information regarding why I should take one exam over the other. Therefore, the information I am providing is solely through my own experience and the experience of my colleagues.
Of my classmates, I was one of the few that opted to test through the AACN, however, I am very satisfied. In comparison to the experiences of my colleagues who tested through the ANCC, my exam was heavily based on critical care scenarios. Because I have always been a critical care nurse and now work as a Nurse Practitioner in critical care, the AACN exam was a better fit for me.
I will also note, the customer service center at the AACN was much more responsive when processing my application, answering my phone calls, and responding to my questions throughout the process. Thus, I registered for the exam online two weeks prior to graduation, paid the fee, had my transcripts and education validation sent to the AACN the day of graduation, and roughly two weeks later, received my authorization to test.
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How Long Should I Study
I graduated the third week of May and post-graduation I allowed myself one week of rest before studying. I planned a trip the first week of July, so loosely decided I wanted to take my board exam at the end of June before my trip. This left me a five-week window to study. Here is the schedule I followed for studying:
Week 1: Study 3-5 hours per day, Monday through Friday
- Completed two Barkley review lectures with coinciding chapters in the manual and book, as well as, completed all AACN review questions.
Week 2: Study 3-5 hours per day, Monday through Friday
- Completed three Barkley review lectures with coinciding chapters in the manual and book, as well as, 150 Board Vitals review questions.
Week 3: Study 5-6 hours per day, Monday through Friday
- Completed remaining Barkley review lectures with coinciding chapters in the manual and book, as well as, 500 Board Vitals review questions.
Week 4: Study 5-6 hours per day, Monday through Friday
- Reviewed my weakest areas in Barkley again. This included making notecards and memorizing content related to Endocrine, Respiratory, and GU. I also completed two Barkley practice exams , and around 300 more Board Vitals questions. I also reviewed the exam outline from the AACN and made study guides on the topics not covered by my Barkley review.
Week 5: Study 8-10 hours per day, every day, no work
Why Exam Edge Is Your Trusted Leader
If you’re looking for a silver bullet for your AACN Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioners test, Exam Edge is it. You can even take your first practice test for free!
The benefits of our practice exams don’t stop there. Once you have completed a practice exam, you will have permanent access to that exam’s review page, which includes a detailed explanation for each practice question! Are you confused by a particular question on the practice test? Simply come back to it after you’ve completed the exam and get a detailed explanation of what the correct answer is and why. No matter how many times you sit for your actual AACN Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioners exam, there’s just no comparing the advantages of Exam Edge’s practice tests!
Our proof of success is with our customers. Many of them have contacted us, stating that they failed the real tests until finding and utilizing our site. Invest your study time in our well-constructed AACN Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioners exam practice tests and passing the test becomes a cinch!
Certification exams don’t just measure what you know – they are also a test of how well you perform under pressure. The right type of test preparation helps you familiarize yourself not only with the material you’re being tested on, but also the format of the test, so you feel less anxiety on test day. That’s the kind of valuable experience you’ll get with our practice tests and exam prep!
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How Many Times Can You Take The Aanp Certification Board Exam
The AANP provides certification candidates with two attempts to pass the exam per year, which runs from January 1st to December 31st regardless of the date of completion.
If a nurse fails to pass the exam, they are required to complete a minimum of 15 continuing education hours in the areas of weakness, which AANP identifies on the score report. The test cannot be retaken after a failure until these continuing education hours are completed.
Page last reviewed March 13, 2022
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Is The Ancc Exam Really More Difficult Than The Aanp Exam
This is the question most NPs have when choosing between the two. There isnt an official agreement between NPs in this matter, and for many, that might seem like an unfair question.
After all, we could say that NPs who choose to take the AANP exams are just as prepared as those who take the ANCC. They are still at the same level of education.
The ANCC exam does test students in different ways, and can seem more comprehensive. However, in the end, all NPs get the same certification.
If you really want to figure out which exam is harder, you might look at pass rates. Many people think that the pass rates for the AANP exam are higher than those of the ANCC. However, this is not exactly the case right now.
In 2018, the approval rate for the AANP exam was 85%, while the approval rate for the ANCC exam was 86.2%. Does this mean that the ANCC exam has become easier than the AANP exam? Not really.
In any case, the difference between pass rates in both exams usually doesnt exceed 1 or 2 percent. They are always very close, which helps the argument that both of them are different, but almost equally difficult.
Heres the 2019 Annual Report on the test by the AANP if you want to learn more.
And heres the 2019 ANCC certification data report if youre thinking of going with that one.
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Can You Get Certified In Both The Ancc And The Aanp
Yes! You can take both exams with no issue. This is not recommended, but some people do it.
The only reason why you would need to take both exams is if you are considering a specialty thats not certified by one of them. For example, if you are an FNP thats certified with the AANP, and you want to become a PMHNP, you would have to be certified by the ANCC.
Recertification
The AANP and the ANCC have similar ways for you to renew your certification. However, they are not the same.
The ANCC requires you to renew your certification every 5 years. Here are the requirements:
- Complete an obligatory 75 CE hours .
- Complete one or more of the following categories:
- Academic credits in your certification specialty.
- Presentations in your specialty.
- Preceptor Hours .
- Professional Service .
- Practice Hours: A minimum of 1,000 in your specialty.
- Assessment: Take the exam again.
Learn more about ANCC certification renewal by .
The AANP also requires you to recertify every 5 years. You have two options:
Option 1: Recertify by completing 1,000 clinical hours as an NP and a minimum of 100 contact hours of advanced CE.
These hours can be as an employee, volunteer, or faculty. 25 of your 100 CE credits must be in advanced practice pharmacology, and you can also exchange up to 125 hours as a preceptor for a total of 25 credits.
Option 2: Take the test again.
For more information about the AANPs certification process, .