NURSE PRACTITIONER CERTIFICATION
EXAM PREP
7TH EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)MARGARET FITZGERALD
TEST BANK
1
Reference: Ch. 1 — Prepping for Nurse Practitioner Boards —
Test Blueprint & Cognitive Targets
Stem: A 32-year-old FNP student reviews the AANP test
blueprint and notes 60% of items will assess clinical
management. She must design a 6-week study plan
emphasizing high-yield domains while ensuring progressive
practice testing. Which study-plan element best demonstrates
synthesis of blueprint priorities and effective exam preparation?
A. Re-reading all textbook chapters in week 1, then doing
practice questions in week 6.
B. Weekly mixed-topic timed practice sets mapped to blueprint
,weights with targeted remediation.
C. Focusing only on weakest content throughout and skipping
strong areas to conserve time.
D. Memorizing algorithms and lists from flashcards with no
timed practice.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct: Mapping weekly timed practice to
blueprint weights integrates the exam’s content distribution
with active retrieval and timing skills. It promotes spaced
practice and targeted remediation where incorrect patterns
appear. This approach aligns with Fitzgerald’s emphasis on
blueprint-driven, practice-oriented study.
Rationale — A: Passive rereading early without retrieval or
timing fails to build exam stamina or discriminate applied
knowledge.
Rationale — C: Ignoring stronger domains risks missing
moderate-weight items and reduces overall score optimization.
Rationale — D: Memorization without timed application
neglects clinical reasoning and time-management demands.
Teaching Point: Map practice to blueprint weights; prioritize
timed, mixed-topic retrieval.
Citation: Fitzgerald, M. (2025). Nurse Practitioner Certification
Exam Prep (7th ed.). Ch. 1.
2
,Reference: Ch. 1 — Prepping for Nurse Practitioner Boards —
Time Management & Question Pacing
Stem: During a 150-question practice exam, an AGPCNP
candidate notices she spends 5–7 minutes on difficult items and
falls behind. Using analysis and evaluation, which immediate
pacing adjustment best improves overall performance?
A. Answer quickly by guessing on any item that seems hard
after 30 seconds.
B. Flag difficult items after 90–120 seconds, answer remaining
questions, then return.
C. Skip all clinical-management items in the first pass and only
answer knowledge recall items.
D. Slow down and spend the full allotted time per item to avoid
mistakes.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct: Flagging after 90–120 seconds preserves
time for higher-yield items while allowing later targeted review,
balancing accuracy and pacing. This strategy uses evaluation of
item difficulty and test-time triage recommended in Fitzgerald.
Rationale — A: Guessing at 30 seconds is premature and may
reduce accuracy on solvable complex items.
Rationale — C: Selectively skipping clinical-management items
sacrifices high-weight content and misaligns with blueprint
priorities.
Rationale — D: Overinvesting time per item reduces coverage
and harms total score; time triage is essential.
Teaching Point: Flag after ~90–120 seconds; return later for
, difficult items.
Citation: Fitzgerald, M. (2025). Nurse Practitioner Certification
Exam Prep (7th ed.). Ch. 1.
3
Reference: Ch. 1 — Prepping for Nurse Practitioner Boards —
Item Dissection & Keywords
Stem: A student reads a stem: “A 68-year-old with progressive
dyspnea and orthopnea presents—vital signs stable—what’s
the next best step?” Which analytic approach best
differentiates distractors and identifies the single best answer?
A. Focus on each answer’s prevalence in practice without
integrating the stem specifics.
B. Identify the lead-in verb, isolate absolute contraindications,
and apply pathophysiology to eliminate distractors.
C. Eliminate the least familiar option first, assuming it’s the
distractor.
D. Choose the option that seems most conservative clinically.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct: Systematically parsing lead-in verbs and
contraindications and using pathophysiology allows focused
elimination based on stem data—an approach Fitzgerald
endorses for higher-order items.
Rationale — A: Relying on prevalence ignores test-specific cues
and may mislead.
Rationale — C: Unfamiliarity alone doesn’t identify correctness;
EXAM PREP
7TH EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)MARGARET FITZGERALD
TEST BANK
1
Reference: Ch. 1 — Prepping for Nurse Practitioner Boards —
Test Blueprint & Cognitive Targets
Stem: A 32-year-old FNP student reviews the AANP test
blueprint and notes 60% of items will assess clinical
management. She must design a 6-week study plan
emphasizing high-yield domains while ensuring progressive
practice testing. Which study-plan element best demonstrates
synthesis of blueprint priorities and effective exam preparation?
A. Re-reading all textbook chapters in week 1, then doing
practice questions in week 6.
B. Weekly mixed-topic timed practice sets mapped to blueprint
,weights with targeted remediation.
C. Focusing only on weakest content throughout and skipping
strong areas to conserve time.
D. Memorizing algorithms and lists from flashcards with no
timed practice.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct: Mapping weekly timed practice to
blueprint weights integrates the exam’s content distribution
with active retrieval and timing skills. It promotes spaced
practice and targeted remediation where incorrect patterns
appear. This approach aligns with Fitzgerald’s emphasis on
blueprint-driven, practice-oriented study.
Rationale — A: Passive rereading early without retrieval or
timing fails to build exam stamina or discriminate applied
knowledge.
Rationale — C: Ignoring stronger domains risks missing
moderate-weight items and reduces overall score optimization.
Rationale — D: Memorization without timed application
neglects clinical reasoning and time-management demands.
Teaching Point: Map practice to blueprint weights; prioritize
timed, mixed-topic retrieval.
Citation: Fitzgerald, M. (2025). Nurse Practitioner Certification
Exam Prep (7th ed.). Ch. 1.
2
,Reference: Ch. 1 — Prepping for Nurse Practitioner Boards —
Time Management & Question Pacing
Stem: During a 150-question practice exam, an AGPCNP
candidate notices she spends 5–7 minutes on difficult items and
falls behind. Using analysis and evaluation, which immediate
pacing adjustment best improves overall performance?
A. Answer quickly by guessing on any item that seems hard
after 30 seconds.
B. Flag difficult items after 90–120 seconds, answer remaining
questions, then return.
C. Skip all clinical-management items in the first pass and only
answer knowledge recall items.
D. Slow down and spend the full allotted time per item to avoid
mistakes.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct: Flagging after 90–120 seconds preserves
time for higher-yield items while allowing later targeted review,
balancing accuracy and pacing. This strategy uses evaluation of
item difficulty and test-time triage recommended in Fitzgerald.
Rationale — A: Guessing at 30 seconds is premature and may
reduce accuracy on solvable complex items.
Rationale — C: Selectively skipping clinical-management items
sacrifices high-weight content and misaligns with blueprint
priorities.
Rationale — D: Overinvesting time per item reduces coverage
and harms total score; time triage is essential.
Teaching Point: Flag after ~90–120 seconds; return later for
, difficult items.
Citation: Fitzgerald, M. (2025). Nurse Practitioner Certification
Exam Prep (7th ed.). Ch. 1.
3
Reference: Ch. 1 — Prepping for Nurse Practitioner Boards —
Item Dissection & Keywords
Stem: A student reads a stem: “A 68-year-old with progressive
dyspnea and orthopnea presents—vital signs stable—what’s
the next best step?” Which analytic approach best
differentiates distractors and identifies the single best answer?
A. Focus on each answer’s prevalence in practice without
integrating the stem specifics.
B. Identify the lead-in verb, isolate absolute contraindications,
and apply pathophysiology to eliminate distractors.
C. Eliminate the least familiar option first, assuming it’s the
distractor.
D. Choose the option that seems most conservative clinically.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct: Systematically parsing lead-in verbs and
contraindications and using pathophysiology allows focused
elimination based on stem data—an approach Fitzgerald
endorses for higher-order items.
Rationale — A: Relying on prevalence ignores test-specific cues
and may mislead.
Rationale — C: Unfamiliarity alone doesn’t identify correctness;
