ANCC 2019 FNP Exam Updates!
Background
The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) published a new exam blueprint May 2019 for the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP-C) exam.
The new exam blueprint was established by an expert panel of ANCC-certified family nurse practitioners in response to a Role Delineation Study conducted in 2018 by the ANCC.
How is it different?
The new ANCC FNP exam has a greater focus on clinical content from the previous exam.
- Assessment (21%)
- Diagnosis (26%)
- Clinical Management (43%)
- Professional Role (10%), down from 17% on the previous exam
It encompasses knowledge and skills across four competency areas (content domains) covering body systems and drug agents across the lifespan:
Knowledge
- Health promotion
- Pathogenesis of disease states
- Pharmacotherapeutics, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacogenetics
- Age-appropriate screening recommendations
- Anticipatory guidance
- Legal and ethical considerations
- Scope and standards of practice for APRNs
- Regulatory guidance
- Evidence-based guidelines
- Healthcare informatics and technology
Skills
- Comprehensive and focused history and physical assessment
- Differentiating between normal and abnormal physiologic or psychiatric changes
- Diagnostic test selection and evaluation
- Pharmacotherapeutic intervention selection and evaluation
- Non-pharmacologic intervention selection and evaluation
- Therapeutic communication
- Culturally congruent practice
- Resource management
- Research appraisal
The specific body systems and drug agents tested across the lifespan can be found on the complete Test Content Outline.
A new reference list is available for the updated content changes reflected on the 2019 ANCC FNP exam and should be reviewed by potential examinees as some previously cited guidelines have changed.
Other than content changes, what else changed?
The new ANCC FNP examination has 175 questions (previously 200 questions). Of the 175 questions, 150 are scored and 25 are pretest questions which are not scored. Examinees are given 3.5 hours (previously 4 hours) to complete the exam.
Where can I find additional information?
Additional information including the test content outline, reference list, the Certification General Testing and Renewal Handbook, scoring information and certification tips can be found here:
https://www.nursingworld.org/our-certifications/family-nurse-practitioner/
Changes reflecting the new blueprint have already occurred in FNP Mastery, and updated content is being added continually! FNP Mastery will continue to keep the latest exam, content and guideline updates at your fingertips!
