Studying for the nurse practitioner certification exam can be overwhelming. Where do you start? There are study books and review courses to choose from, all claiming to be the key to passing the test. Regardless of the route you take in your exam prep, practice questions will always be the best indicator of your preparedness for the test itself.
Completing hundreds of questions before your test day will give you an idea of the types of questions asked on the NP certification exam for your specialty. It will highlight your areas of weakness helping you to study more efficiently. Fortunately, a few companies offer practice question databanks online, an excellent study resource. Most of these databanks can only be used after paying a fee, but access to hundreds of practice questions will be worth the investment.
Here are a few of your options when it comes to online practice questions for the national NP certification exam.
1. American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
The ANCC offers a wealth of NP certification exam prep materials including plenty of practice test questions. The best thing about the ANCC’s test prep resources? They come straight from the source. You can be assured the practice materials you will receive are accurate and relevant to the exam as they are produced by the test makers themselves.
Sets of practice questions are offered for multiple specialties. Sets include anywhere from 150 to 200 practice questions and range in price from $109 to $125. Questions may be accessed online for 90 days after purchase. The ANCC also offers a few brief, 25 question practice exams, free on its website.
2. American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)
Similar to the ANCC, the AANP offers practice tests for the Family Nurse Practitioner and Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner certification exams straight from test makers themselves. These practice exams mimic the real test giving NP students 90 minutes to complete the exam. The exam is then scored by the AANP and NPs are given feedback given about each answer. Each test is 75 questions in length and costs $50.
3. Advanced Practice Education Associates (APEA)
Advanced Practice Education Associates offers an online product called QBank for Family, Adult, and Adult-Gerontology nurse practitioners. Each QBank offers access to over 1,000 practice test questions. QBank even breaks down your responses by practice area helping you to accurately identify areas of strengths and weaknesses. Priced at $79, QBank gives nurse practitioners more bang for their buck compared to other online practice question resources.
4. Exam Edge
Looking to get in some real life exam practice? Exam Edge offers nurse practitioner certification practice tests in quantities ranging from a single test to a 50 test bundle. NPs may take the practice tests in a timed or un-timed format allowing for a more realistic test day simulation. Tests are scored immediately upon completion and rationales provided for the answers to each question. Prices for Exam Edge range from $14.95 for a single test to $236.50 for a 50-test bundle.
5. Barkley and Associates
Barkley and Associates offers Diagnostic Readiness Tests, essentially practice exams, to help nurse practitioners assess their preparedness for the certification exam. Each test contains 100 questions. Test takers are given 100 minutes to complete the exam and 45 minutes following the exam to review results. The 45 minute feedback session gives rationales for incorrect answers as well as an overall score. Unlike most other practice exams, Barkley’s Diagnostic Readiness Tests confer 3.5 hours of continuing education credit. Exams are offered for multiple specialties and cost $24.95 each.
What resources are you using to help prepare for the nurse practitioner certification exam?
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