9
FNP
WHICH EXAM DO I CHOOSE
(AANP OR ANCC)
AANP
It stands for American Association of Nurse Practitioners, which is a professional organization that offers certification through its own certification board, the AANP Certification Board. The AANP certification exam is a competency-based exam that tests general knowledge in the field of primary care.
Introduction
ANCC
It stands for the American Nurses Credentialing Center, which is a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association (ANA). ANCC offers certification for nurses in a variety of specialties, including NP certification. The ANCC NP certification exam is a knowledge-based exam that tests the candidate's understanding of nursing theory and clinical practice.
In summary, the main difference between AANP and ANCC is that AANP focuses on competency-based testing, while ANCC focuses on knowledge-based testing.
AANP
(range of 240-365 depending on if you are a member or choose paper vs. electronic registration)
AANP
Why people like to choose this exam :
Popular, popular among practicing NP’s, rumored to be easier
AANPCB 2021 Statistics
Pass Rates
Initial Exams by Education Category
* Exam retirement: Adult NP in 2016, Gerontologic NP in 2012
** The Emergency NP Specialty examination was launched January 2017
Types of Questions
1. 150 questions: 135 are scored and 15 are
pre-test questions (they don’t count)
2. Time limit of 3 hours
3. Straight forward - Multiple Choice Questions
Passing Score is 500 :
range is 200-800 (take it twice in a year)
ANCC
ANCC
Why people choose this exam:
oldest and organizations will list, popular among faculty because of renewal process
More options for the renewal process in 5 years
Pass Rates
Type of Questions
1. 175 questions: 150 scored and 125 are pre-test
2. Time limit is 3.5 hours
3. Multiple Choice Questions, Select 2-3 that apply,
Drag and Drop Questions, pictures etc (use clips
of LWES material)
Passing Score is 350
Summary
AANP and ANCC both lead to board certification as a nurse practitioner
AANP tests practical knowledge and skills, while ANCC tests understanding of nursing theory and clinical practice
Check state or employer requirements, as some may prefer or require one exam over the other
Consider exam prep materials and alignment with study strengths
Personal preference and research should guide the decision of which exam to take