Take the stress out of preparing for your ANCC exam with study guides and realistic practice tests.
The American Nurses Credentialing Center, or ANCC, sets the bar when it comes to nursing credentialing for specialty practice nurses and healthcare organizations. ANCC certifications are for individuals looking to authenticate their expertise in various nursing specializations and become registered nurse practitioners.
In order to take an ANCC test, candidates must meet the general requirements for certification in the desired nursing specialty. Generally, most ANCC certifications require an active RN license, a masters or doctoral degree, specific APRN core courses, and clinical practice hours. Moreover, as a prerequisite for issuing testing authorization, candidates need to submit official transcripts prior to obtaining authorization for taking an ANCC certification exam.
During the ANCC test day, candidates are required to provide a valid form of identification. All IDs must have a photo that is no older than 10 years, along with a signature.
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Easy-to-follow study guides, practice tests and resources.
Create AccountKnowing what to expect from the exam is invaluable; therefore, it is highly recommended to use the ANCC study guides to practice for the ANCC exam. They include sample questions that give a good idea of what the ANCC test questions will look like. Once the practice questions are answered, examinees will be able to score themselves. The types of questions missed the most identify the examinee's areas of weakness for their ANCC certification exam. This, in turn, tells which areas to focus on during one's study time.
The majority of preparation time should be spent on in-depth study of the types of questions that were missed most, and then one can spend a smaller amount of time doing a quick review of those concepts on which they scored better. Our ANCC study guides give everything needed to walk oneself through this process. They should be the go-to for most ANCC test preparation.
Easy-to-follow study guides, practice tests and resources.
Create AccountANCC certification exams are priced from $395.00, but some discounts are available. For example, the ANCC test is priced at $295.00 for American Nurses Association members (excluding e-members). Members of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners members can take the exam for $340, and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners student members only pay $290.
Once the application is submitted to the ANCC, members of these associations remain eligible to apply for the discount, subject to certain conditions: Discounts cannot be combined, and no refunds will be granted for discount requests made after 5 days from the registration date.
Testing cost for the initial certification includes $140 administrative fee, as well as any additional charges that may be necessary. Please note that these fees are non-refundable.
Take an assessment and focus on the areas that need the most practice.
The ANCC NP certification:
The ANCC clinical nurse specialist certification:
The specialty ANCC certification:
The ANCC recommends that candidates should begin preparing for the ANCC test at least six months prior to the testing date. Begin by formulating a study plan for the ANCC certification exam and contemplate employing a variety of study methods, including:
When developing a plan, a great place to begin is with the ANCC test content outlines, as they go over every area that is included on the exam. This can help examinees identify areas of strength and weaknesses, and thus help determine the best focal areas for their study time. Once this has been done, make a study routine that fits into the plan and addresses the areas of weakness.
On the day of the ANCC test, there are a number of strategies that can help candidates perform at their best. These include:
The ANCC certification exams may include the following types of test questions:
Typically, the ANCC test will have 150-175 questions that contribute to the examinee's final score. Additionally, there will be 25 extra questions that won't affect the overall score. These are questions that are being tested for possible use on the future tests.
Points are awarded to candidates for each accurately answered question, no deductions are made for guessing. The best strategy is to make educated guesses on uncertain questions, flag them for later review, and use any remaining time to revisiting these questions after addressing the rest.
Candidates are given up to 3.5 hours to complete the ANCC exam, which incorporates an additional 30-minute timeframe for supplementary tasks. During this half-hour period, candidates will undergo check-in procedures, review instructions, and participate in a practice session on the computer, familiarizing themselves with the ANCC test administration system.
Being ANCC certified means that an individual has demonstrated exceptional expertise and practical experience within their selected nursing specialization. This accomplishment is achieved by successfully completing the demanding ANCC exam, validating clinical hours, and exhibiting the best of patient care. This comprehensive process elevates these professionals to a position of utmost trust and respect within their chosen fields.
Scores are computed based on the count of correct answers and then scaled. The highest score one can receive is 500. In order to obtain a passing status for an ANCC exam, test takers must secure a minimum of 350 points.
If an individual takes an ANCC examination and obtains a failing score, they are eligible to retake the exam under certain conditions. These conditions may involve meeting eligibility requirements, following the retest procedure, observing a 60-day waiting period between retakes, and adhering to a maximum of 3 retakes within a calendar year.