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AANP Exam Cheat Sheet: Exam Facts From AANPCB Plus a Sourced FNP Clinical Checklist

By , MD, FRCPC · Published · 11 min read

How we write and check articles: Editorial Policy.

A single stylised nurse practitioner student seen from behind, pinning a one-page checklist to a corkboard beside a window

Disclosure: Alma publishes this article and makes one of the study tools it discusses.

This AANP exam cheat sheet is one page of facts you can print, and every line has a source. Part 1 covers the exam itself, from the AANPCB (NPCB) Family Nurse Practitioner Candidate Handbook updated 06/2026[1]. Part 2 is a short clinical checklist drawn only from guideline pages opened for this article. It is exam study material, not clinical guidance: guidelines change, so check the current version before you use any line with a patient. Facts were read on November 7, 2026.

How to use this sheet

Use it in the last two or three weeks, after you have practiced with questions. A review of ten learning techniques rated practice testing and distributed practice as high utility and rereading as low utility[2], so treat a cheat sheet as a check on what you recall, not as something to reread. Cover the right-hand column, say the answer, then check it.

Part 1: the exam itself (AANPCB FNP)

Item Fact Source
Format Computer-based, 150 multiple-choice questions [1]
Scored 135 scored; 15 unscored pretest [1]
Time 3 hours [1]
Where Administered through NPCB's testing vendor, Prometric [1]
Passing A passing score set by a recognized standard-setting method; scores are not reported as a percent correct [1]
Initial exam fee $240 AANP member, $315 non-member [3]
Retake fee $240 member, $315 non-member [3]
Retake limit FNP candidates may test up to 3 times per calendar year (Jan 1 to Dec 31) [1]
Testing window 120 days to schedule and complete the exam after authorization [1]
Certification period 5 years [1]

Content domains (135 scored items)

Domain Items Share
Assess 43 32%
Diagnose 36 27%
Plan 36 27%
Evaluate 20 15%

The handbook prints Diagnose and Plan as 27%[1]; AANPCB's exam page prints 26.5% for each[4]. Both pages list 36 items for each of those two domains.

Patient age Items Share
Newborn 3 2%
Infant 4 3%
Toddler 5 4%
Child 6 4%
Adolescent (includes prenatal) 12 9%
Young adult (includes prenatal) 30 22%
Middle adult (includes prenatal) 35 26%
Older adult 40 30%

Source for both tables: [1][4]. The handbook says age parameters are not defined for any population; growth and development are the basis of age-related items[1]. Adults and older adults together are about three quarters of the scored items (22% + 26% + 30% = 78%). That is arithmetic on the published table, not an AANPCB statement.

Applied knowledge areas AANPCB lists

  • Health assessment: diagnostic and therapeutic tests, specialized assessments, health history, physical examination.
  • Pathophysiology: anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, comorbidities.
  • Therapeutics: pharmacologic, non-pharmacologic, integrative.
  • Evidence-informed practice: crisis management, diagnostic reasoning, health promotion and disease prevention, healthcare economics, interprofessional practice, legal and ethical issues, patient and family education, epidemiology and social drivers of health, procedures, transitions of care, cultural responsiveness, therapeutic communication, pain management.

Source: [1].

Registration, scheduling and results

Topic Fact Source
When to apply MSN or post-graduate certificate applicants up to 6 months before program completion; DNP applicants up to 12 months before [1]
When you can test After all coursework and clinical hours are done; you receive an Authorization to Test (ATT) once your program completion date is reached [1]
Clinical hours At least 500 faculty-supervised direct patient care hours [1]
Transcripts Unofficial transcript to apply; final official transcript showing degree and conferral date before certification is released [1]
Name on ID Must exactly match your NPCB account and exam registration, or you can be denied entry [1]
Cancel within 24 hours or no-show Fees may be forfeited; you must follow the eligibility reset process [1]
Eligibility reset A reset fee applies; one reset per application; applications older than a year need a new application (FAQ lists a $75 non-refundable processing fee) [1][5]
Rescheduling Subject to Prometric policies (FAQ lists a $50 Prometric fee for changes 5 to 29 days before the test date, effective July 1, 2025) [1][5]
Accommodations Requested only after you receive the ATT; do not schedule until Prometric approves [1]
Results Preliminary pass/fail right after the exam; not official until requirements are reviewed; no results by phone [1]
Score letter FAQ says it is emailed within 3 to 5 business days after testing [5]

NPCB's FAQ has two versions of the retake answer, and the newer one adds a minimum of 15 continuing education hours; confirm the current retake rules with NPCB before you apply[5]. Fees change, so check[3] before paying.

The official practice exam, in one line

NPCB's practice exams have 50 multiple-choice questions and a 60-minute limit; results are percentages, and NPCB says performance is not a predictor of passing or failing[6].

Part 2: sourced clinical checklist

Each line restates one recommendation from the named source and nothing more. The questions on the real exam are confidential and may be framed differently; use this to check recall of the guidelines behind them.

Topic Line Source
Colorectal cancer screening Screen ages 45 to 49 (grade B) and 50 to 75 (grade A); 76 to 85 selectively (grade C). Listed strategies include annual FIT and colonoscopy every 10 years [7]
Lung cancer screening Annual low-dose CT, ages 50 to 80, 20 pack-years, currently smoke or quit within 15 years (grade B) [8]
Breast cancer screening Biennial mammography, ages 40 to 74 (grade B, 2024) [9]
Cervical cancer screening 21 to 29: cytology every 3 years. 30 to 65: cytology every 3 years, hrHPV alone every 5 years, or cotesting every 5 years. The USPSTF page says this topic is being updated [10]
Osteoporosis screening Women 65 or older (grade B); postmenopausal women younger than 65 at increased risk (grade B); men: insufficient evidence [11]
Statin, primary prevention Ages 40 to 75 with at least one of dyslipidemia, diabetes, hypertension or smoking: 10-year risk 10% or more, prescribe (grade B); 7.5% to under 10%, selectively offer (grade C) [12]
Aspirin and preeclampsia 81 mg daily after 12 weeks of gestation in people at high risk (prior preeclampsia, multiple gestation, chronic hypertension, pregestational diabetes, kidney disease, autoimmune disease) [13]
Stage 2 hypertension Stage 2 is 140/90 mm Hg or higher; start two drugs from different classes, ideally one pill. First-line classes: thiazide-type diuretics, long-acting dihydropyridine CCBs, ACE inhibitors, ARBs [14]
Type 2 diabetes with HF SGLT2 inhibitor, irrespective of A1C (ADA 9.8) [15]
Type 2 diabetes with CKD eGFR 20 to 60 and/or albuminuria: SGLT2 inhibitor or GLP-1 RA with demonstrated benefit (9.10). eGFR below 30: GLP-1 RA preferred for glycemic management (9.11) [15]
Asthma, adults and adolescents Track 1 (preferred): low-dose ICS-formoterol as the reliever, and as maintenance too in steps 3 to 5. Track 2 (ICS-SABA or SABA reliever) is the alternative [16]
COPD, group E Group E includes one moderate exacerbation in the past year. Initial: LABA plus LAMA; consider adding ICS if eosinophils are 300 cells/µL or more; LABA plus ICS is not encouraged [17]
Outpatient CAP, healthy adult Amoxicillin 1 g three times daily, or doxycycline 100 mg twice daily, or a macrolide only where pneumococcal macrolide resistance is below 25% [18]
Chlamydia Non-pregnant: doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for 7 days. Pregnancy: azithromycin 1 g once; doxycycline is contraindicated in the second and third trimesters [19]
Gonorrhea, uncomplicated Ceftriaxone 500 mg IM if under 150 kg, 1 g IM if 150 kg or more; add doxycycline if chlamydia is not excluded [20]
Acute otitis media, children When treating with an antibiotic and no amoxicillin in the past 30 days: amoxicillin 80 to 90 mg/kg per day in 2 divided doses [21]
Older adults Beers Criteria: avoid first-generation antihistamines such as oral diphenhydramine (strong recommendation) [22]

A worked dose to check your arithmetic: a 15 kg child at 90 mg/kg per day needs 15 × 90 = 1,350 mg per day, which is 675 mg per dose when divided twice daily.

Last-week tips that come from the sources

  • Check your spam folder for the ATT email; NPCB tells candidates to check all folders[1].
  • Make sure the name on your ID exactly matches your NPCB account[1].
  • Schedule inside the 120-day window, and do not cancel within 24 hours of the appointment[1].
  • Do not read or share leaked exam content. The handbook says violations can invalidate results[1].
  • Answer every question: unscored pretest questions are mixed in, and you cannot tell which they are; the handbook says 15 of 150 are unscored[1].

Turn the sheet into flashcards

Spacing is better than rereading[2]. Paste the lines you miss into a Notebook note and use "Generate from Notes" on Alma's Flashcards, or type them as cards; Alma schedules them with FSRS. Put your exam date into Alma's Study Schedule as an "other" exam to build a plan from today to that date. If you want a picture for a list you keep forgetting, the mnemonic generator draws a cartoon mnemonic from text you select in your notes; check any clinical fact in a mnemonic against the source before you rely on it. Related: our free FNP practice questions, ANCC or AANP: pick your FNP exam, and the NP blog hub.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an AANP cheat sheet PDF?

There is no separate download. Print this page from your browser (or save it as a PDF) and the sources print with it. Facts on it were read on November 7, 2026, so check for newer versions before you rely on it later.

What are the domains on the AANP FNP exam?

Assess (32%), Diagnose (27%), Plan (27%) and Evaluate (15%) of 135 scored items[1].

What should I memorize for the AANP exam?

AANPCB does not publish a list of facts to memorize. It publishes domains, patient-age weights and applied knowledge areas[1]. Use those to decide what to practice, and use the guidelines behind them for clinical specifics.

How long is the AANP exam?

3 hours for 150 questions, of which 135 are scored[1].

Does this cheat sheet include real exam questions?

No. The exam content is confidential[1]. Every line here is from a public source.

Sources

Read on November 7, 2026. Check each page for a newer version.

  1. AANPCB (NPCB) Family Nurse Practitioner Candidate Handbook, updated 06/2026: https://www.aanpcert.org/wp-content/uploads/FNP-Candidate-Handbook-06-04-2026.pdf
  2. Dunlosky J, Rawson KA, Marsh EJ, Nathan MJ, Willingham DT. Improving students' learning with effective learning techniques: promising directions from cognitive and educational psychology. Psychol Sci Public Interest. 2013;14(1):4-58. PMID 26173288. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100612453266
  3. NPCB certification exams and fees: https://www.aanpcert.org/certify/
  4. NPCB FNP exam page: https://aanpcert.org/certify/fnp-exam/
  5. NPCB certification FAQ: https://www.aanpcert.org/resources/faq/
  6. NPCB practice exams: https://www.aanpcert.org/certify/practice-exam
  7. USPSTF, Colorectal Cancer: Screening (May 18, 2021): https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/colorectal-cancer-screening
  8. USPSTF, Lung Cancer: Screening (March 9, 2021): https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/lung-cancer-screening
  9. USPSTF, Breast Cancer: Screening (April 30, 2024): https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/breast-cancer-screening
  10. USPSTF, Cervical Cancer: Screening (August 21, 2018): https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/cervical-cancer-screening
  11. USPSTF, Osteoporosis to Prevent Fractures: Screening (January 14, 2025): https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/osteoporosis-screening
  12. USPSTF, Statin Use for the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Adults (August 23, 2022): https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/statin-use-in-adults-preventive-medication
  13. USPSTF, Aspirin Use to Prevent Preeclampsia and Related Morbidity and Mortality (September 28, 2021): https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/low-dose-aspirin-use-for-the-prevention-of-morbidity-and-mortality-from-preeclampsia-preventive-medication
  14. 2025 AHA/ACC multisociety Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults. Hypertension 2025;82:e212-e316: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/HYP.0000000000000249 (recommendation wording read in the companion article, Case-Based Applications of the 2025 AHA/ACC/Multi-specialty High Blood Pressure Guideline, Hypertension 2025: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12617343/)
  15. American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee. 9. Pharmacologic Approaches to Glycemic Treatment: Standards of Care in Diabetes-2026. Diabetes Care 2026;49(Suppl 1):S183-S215: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12690185/
  16. Global Initiative for Asthma, Global Strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention, 2026 update: https://ginasthma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/GINA-2026-Strategy-Report-WMS.pdf
  17. Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease, 2026 GOLD Report: https://goldcopd.org/2026-gold-report-and-pocket-guide/
  18. Metlay JP, Waterer GW, et al. Diagnosis and Treatment of Adults with Community-acquired Pneumonia. ATS/IDSA guideline. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2019;200(7):e45-e67: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6812437/
  19. CDC, STI Treatment Guidelines, 2021: Chlamydial Infections: https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/chlamydia.htm
  20. CDC, STI Treatment Guidelines, 2021: Gonococcal Infections Among Adolescents and Adults: https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/gonorrhea-adults.htm
  21. Lieberthal AS, Carroll AE, Chonmaitree T, et al. The Diagnosis and Management of Acute Otitis Media. Pediatrics 2013;131(3):e964-e999: https://www.aepap.org/sites/default/files/oma_aap_2013.pdf
  22. 2023 American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria Update Expert Panel. J Am Geriatr Soc 2023;71(7):2052-2081: https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.18372