Certification guides

Family Nurse Practitioner (ANCC)

The ANCC family nurse practitioner examination assesses care across the lifespan, from newborns to older adults, with a strong emphasis on assessment, diagnosis and clinical management in primary care.

Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP (ANCC)

This examination covers primary care of adolescents through frail older adults, with heavy weighting on chronic disease management, geriatric syndromes and preventive care.

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP (ANCC)

The acute care examination focuses on physiologically unstable and technologically dependent patients — critical care, hospital medicine, procedures and rapid decision-making.

Psychiatric–Mental Health NP (ANCC)

The PMHNP examination spans the lifespan and covers psychiatric assessment, DSM-5-TR diagnosis, psychopharmacology, psychotherapy modalities and mental health law.

Family Nurse Practitioner (AANPCB)

The AANPCB family examination is clinically focused and organised around the domains of assessment, diagnosis, planning and evaluation across the lifespan.

Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP (AANPCB)

This examination covers primary care from adolescence through older adulthood, with strong geriatric content: polypharmacy, falls, cognition, function and goals of care.

Psychiatric Mental Health NP (AANPCB)

A clinically organised psychiatric examination covering screening and assessment instruments, diagnosis, pharmacologic and psychotherapeutic planning, monitoring and legal duties.

Emergency Nurse Practitioner (AANPCB)

The emergency specialty examination is taken after family certification and covers resuscitation, trauma, procedures, and undifferentiated presentations across all ages.