As a recently graduated nurse practitioner, your first step is to get certified. Licenses are awarded by a state, while certifications are awarded by a national organization
There are two certifications bodies for Family APRN: American Nurses Credentialing Center(ANCC) and American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP)
When should you apply?
ANCC: You may submit your application in advance of your graduation date. ANCC will hold your application and will review the completed application when your final transcript, with degree conferred, is received.
AANPCP: Candidates are not eligible to take the certification examination until after the required didactic and clinical coursework of the candidate’s NP portion of their program is complete
Which test should you take?
You can choose to apply to get certified by both certifications bodies ANCC and AANPCP, or choose one. I encourage you to check which certification is the preferred/accepted one by your desire employer.
You would need to take both exams is if you are considering a specialty that’s not certified by one of them. For example, if you are an FNP that’s certified with the AANP, and you want to become a Psychiatric Mental Health NP (PMHNP), you would have to be certified by the ANCC
ANCC
Population Focus Renewal Cycle & Cost Requirements
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Family Pediatric Primary Care Psychiatric-Mental Health
Every five years$270 for an ANA member$395 for a non-ANA member$340 for an AANP, GAPNA, or NGNA members RN license Master’s, postgraduate, or doctoral degree in that population focus from an accredited program Minimum of 500 supervised clinical hours in that population focus School transcript that demonstrates completion of advanced physiology, advanced health assessment, and advanced pharmacology courses Validation of Education form Successful completion of a competency-based, 200-question exam For additional information, see the General Testing & Renewal Handbook on the website link provided in your assignment instructions.
AANPCP
Population Focus Renewal Cycle & Cost Requirements
Family Adult-Gerontology Primary Care
Every five years$240 for AANP members$315 for non-members RN license Master’s, postgraduate, or doctoral degree in that population focus from an accredited program Minimum of 500 supervised clinical hours in that population focus School transcript that demonstrates completion of advanced physiology, advanced health assessment, and advanced pharmacology courses Successful completion of a competency-based, 150-question exam For additional information, please see the FNP AGNP Certification Candidate Handbook on the website link provided in your assignment instruction
1.) Which are the Family Advanced Practitioner Register Nurses (APRN) certification bodies in USA.? ( AANP www.aanpcert.org, and ANCC certification@ana.org)
2.) According to the certification body you selects, which are the application requirement?
– Credits required from you graduated school
– How many CEUs ?, from those which are mandatory?
3.) When can you apply?
4.) What is the passing test score?
5.) How much does the certification exam cost?
6.) How often NP recertification is due?
