AGACNP Exam Review Questions
and Answers Updated 2026
ScopeMofMPracticeM-
MAnswerMBasedMonMlegalMallowancesMinMeachMstate,MindividualMstateMnurseMpracticeM
actsMprovidingMguidelinesMforMnursingMpractice
KeyMelementsMofMtheMNPMroleMincludeM-
MAnswerMintegrationMofMcareMacrossMtheMacuteMillnessMcontinuumMwithMcollaborationM
andMcoordinationMofMcare;MresearchMbasedMclinicalMpractices,MclinicalMleadership,Mfamily
Massessment,MandMdischargeMplanning
StandardsMofMAdvancedMPracticeMareMdelineatedMby...M-
MAnswerMAmericanMNursesMAssociationMwhichMmeasureMqualityMofMpractice,Mservice,Mor
Meducation
StateMPracticeMActsM-
MAnswerMAuthorizeMBoardsMofMNursingMinMeachMstateMtoMestablishMstatutoryMauthority
MforMlicensureMofMRNs
StateMPracticeMActsM-MauthorityMincludes:M-
MAnswerMuseMofMtitle,MauthorizationMforMscopeMofMpracticeMincludingMprescriptiveMauth
ority,MandMdisciplinaryMgrounds
StatesMvaryMinMpracticeMrequirements,MsuchMasM-MAnswerMcertification
PrescriptiveMauthorityM-MAnswerMAbilityMandMextentMofMNPsMabilityMtoMprescribeMmeds
DEAMhasMruledMthatMnursesMinMadvancedMpracticeMmayMobtain..M-
MAnswerMregistrationMnumbers,MstateMpracticeMactsMdictateMlevelMofMprescriptiveMautho
rityMallowed
CredentialsMencompass...M-
MAnswerMrequiredMeducation,MlicensureMandMcertificationMtoMpracticeMasManMNP
CredentialsMestablish...M-MAnswerMminimalMlevelsMofMacceptableMperformance
,CredentialingMisMnecessaryMto:M-
MAnswerMensureMthatMsafeMhealthcareMisMprovidedMbyMqualifiedMindividuals;McomplyMw
ithMfederalMandMstateMlawsMr/tMAPN
CredentialsMalso...M-
MAnswerMacknowledgesMtheMscopeMofMpracticeMofMNP,MmandatesMaccountability,Menforc
esMprofessionalMstandardsMforMpractice
LicensureM-
MAnswerMestablishesMthatMaMpersonMisMqualifiedMtoMperformMinMaMparticularMprofessio
nalMrole
LicensureMisMgrantedMasMdefinedMbyMrulesMandMregulationsMsetMforthMbyM-
MAnswerMaMgovernmentalMregulatoryMbodyM(ie.MstateMboardMofMnursing)
CertificationM-
MAnswerMPersonMhasMmetMcertainMstandardsMthatMsignifyMmasteryMofMspecializedMkno
wledge
CertificationMisMgrantedMbyMnongovernmentalMagenciesMsuchMasM-MAnswerMANCC,MAANP
AdmittingMprivilegesMtoMhospitalsM(nonMphysican)MwereMgrantedM-MAnswerM1983MbyMJC
CredentialingMandMprivilegingM-
MAnswerMprocessMwhichManMNPMisMgrantedMpermissionMtoMpracticeMinManMinptMsettin
g
CredentialingMwithMhospitalMprivilegesMisMgrantedMbyMaM-
MAnswerMHospitalMCredentialingMCommittee
PtMMedicalMAbandomentM-MAnswerMWhenMcaregiver-
ptMrelationshipMisMterminatedMw/oMmakingMreasonableMarrangementsMwManMappropriate
MpersonMsoMthatMcareMcanMbeMcontinued
,DeterminationMofMptMabandonmentMdependsMonMfactorsMsuchMas:M-
MAnswerMWhetherMNPMacceptedMptMassignment,MwhetherMNPMprovidedMreasonableMnot
iceMbeforeMtermination,MwhetherMreasonableMarrangementsMcouldMhaveMbeenMmade
FollowingMdoMnotMconstituteMptMabandonmentM-
MAnswerMNPMrefusesMtoMacceptMresponsibilityMforMptMassignmentMwhenMNPMhasMgiven
MreasonableMnoticeMtoMproperMauthorityMthatMNPMlacksMcompetenceMtoMcarryMoutMass
ignment;MNPMrefusesMassignmentMofMaMdoubleMshiftMorMaddtlMhrsMbeyondMpostedMwo
rkMscheduleMwhenMproperMnotificationMhasMbeenMgiven..latterMphraseMcanMbeMcontrove
rsial
RiskMMgmtM-
MAnswerMSystematicMeffortMtoMreduceMriskMbeginsMwMformalMwrittenMriskMmgmtMplan
MthatMincludes:MorganizationsMgoals,MdelineationMofMprogram'sMscope,Mcomponents,Mmet
hods;MdelegatingMresponsibilityMforMimplementationMandMenforcement;MdemonstratingMco
mmitmentMbyMtheMboard;MconfidentialityMandMimmunityMfromMretaliationMforMthoseMwh
oMreportMsensitiveMinfo
MostMcommonMmethodMofMdocumentationMforMriskMmgmtM-MAnswerMincidentMreports
PoliciesMregardingMincidentMreportsMshouldMaddress:M-
MAnswerMpplMauthorizedMtoMcompleteMreport;MpplMresponsibleMforMreviewMofMaMrepor
t,MimmediateMactionsMneededMtoMminimizeMtheMeffectsMofMtheMevent;MpplMresponsible
MforMfollowMup;MplanMforMmonitoringMaftermath;Msecurity/storageMofMcompletedMreport
RiskMmgmtM-MSatisfactionMsurveysM-
MAnswerMImportantMforMidentifyingMproblemsMbeforeMtheyMdevelopMintoMincidentsMorM
claims;MforMptsMandMemployees
RiskMmgmtM-
MComplaints:MRiskMmgmtMplanMshouldMdelineateMtracking,Manalyzing,MandMmanagingMco
mplaintsMbyMclearlyMidentifying:M-
MAnswerMpplMnotifiedMafterMreceivingMcomplaint;MpplMresponsibleMforMresponding;MpplM
responsibleMforMmonitoringMfollowMup
ActionMtakingMinitiatives:M-
MAnswerMPrevention,McorrectionM(correctiveMstepsMmustMbeMmonitoredMandMaudited),Md
ocumentation,Meducation,MdepartmentalMcoordination
, MedicalMFutilityM-
MAnswerMInterventionsMthatMareMunlikelyMtoMproduceMsignificantMbenefitMforMptM-
M"DoesMtheMinterventionMhaveManyMreasonableMprospectMofMhelpingMthisMpt?"
TwoMkindMofMmedicalMfutility:M-
MAnswerMQuantitativeMfutility:MlikelihoodMthatMinterventionMwillMbenefitMptMisMextremel
yMpoor
QualitativeMfutility:MqualityMofMbenefitManMinterventionMwillMproduceMisMextremelyMpoor
InformedMconsentM-McompetenceM(decisionalMcapability)M-
MAnswerMstateMthatMptMisMableMtoMmakeMpersonalMdecisionsMaboutMtheirMcare
competenceMimpliesMthatMabilityMto:M-
MAnswerMunderstand,Mreason,MdifferentiateMgoodMandMbad,MandMcommunicate
informedMconsentM-
MAnswerMptMhasMreceivedMadequateMinstructionMorMinfoMregardingMaspectsMofMcareMto
MmakeMprudent,MpersonalMchoiceMregardingMsuchMtx
InformedMconsentMincludes:M-MAnswerMdiscussingMbenefitsMandMrisk
consentMisMassumedMif...M-MAnswerMpt'sMconditionMisMlifeMthreatening
DanforthMAmendmentM1991M-
MAnswerMptsMareMinformedMatMtimeMofMadmissionMtoMfederallyMfundedMinstitutionM(su
chMasMhospital,MnursingMhome,Mhospice,MHMO,Metc)MthatMtheyMhaveMtheMrightMtoMref
useMcareMasMlongMasMtheMptMhasMdecisionalMcapabilityM(competence)
EthicsM-
MAnswerMstudyMofMmoralMconductMandMbehaviorMprotectingMtheMrightsMofManMindividu
al
1stMpriorityMisMtheM-
MAnswerMmostMsalvagableMpts.MMostMcriticallyMinjuredMcaredMforMlast.
and Answers Updated 2026
ScopeMofMPracticeM-
MAnswerMBasedMonMlegalMallowancesMinMeachMstate,MindividualMstateMnurseMpracticeM
actsMprovidingMguidelinesMforMnursingMpractice
KeyMelementsMofMtheMNPMroleMincludeM-
MAnswerMintegrationMofMcareMacrossMtheMacuteMillnessMcontinuumMwithMcollaborationM
andMcoordinationMofMcare;MresearchMbasedMclinicalMpractices,MclinicalMleadership,Mfamily
Massessment,MandMdischargeMplanning
StandardsMofMAdvancedMPracticeMareMdelineatedMby...M-
MAnswerMAmericanMNursesMAssociationMwhichMmeasureMqualityMofMpractice,Mservice,Mor
Meducation
StateMPracticeMActsM-
MAnswerMAuthorizeMBoardsMofMNursingMinMeachMstateMtoMestablishMstatutoryMauthority
MforMlicensureMofMRNs
StateMPracticeMActsM-MauthorityMincludes:M-
MAnswerMuseMofMtitle,MauthorizationMforMscopeMofMpracticeMincludingMprescriptiveMauth
ority,MandMdisciplinaryMgrounds
StatesMvaryMinMpracticeMrequirements,MsuchMasM-MAnswerMcertification
PrescriptiveMauthorityM-MAnswerMAbilityMandMextentMofMNPsMabilityMtoMprescribeMmeds
DEAMhasMruledMthatMnursesMinMadvancedMpracticeMmayMobtain..M-
MAnswerMregistrationMnumbers,MstateMpracticeMactsMdictateMlevelMofMprescriptiveMautho
rityMallowed
CredentialsMencompass...M-
MAnswerMrequiredMeducation,MlicensureMandMcertificationMtoMpracticeMasManMNP
CredentialsMestablish...M-MAnswerMminimalMlevelsMofMacceptableMperformance
,CredentialingMisMnecessaryMto:M-
MAnswerMensureMthatMsafeMhealthcareMisMprovidedMbyMqualifiedMindividuals;McomplyMw
ithMfederalMandMstateMlawsMr/tMAPN
CredentialsMalso...M-
MAnswerMacknowledgesMtheMscopeMofMpracticeMofMNP,MmandatesMaccountability,Menforc
esMprofessionalMstandardsMforMpractice
LicensureM-
MAnswerMestablishesMthatMaMpersonMisMqualifiedMtoMperformMinMaMparticularMprofessio
nalMrole
LicensureMisMgrantedMasMdefinedMbyMrulesMandMregulationsMsetMforthMbyM-
MAnswerMaMgovernmentalMregulatoryMbodyM(ie.MstateMboardMofMnursing)
CertificationM-
MAnswerMPersonMhasMmetMcertainMstandardsMthatMsignifyMmasteryMofMspecializedMkno
wledge
CertificationMisMgrantedMbyMnongovernmentalMagenciesMsuchMasM-MAnswerMANCC,MAANP
AdmittingMprivilegesMtoMhospitalsM(nonMphysican)MwereMgrantedM-MAnswerM1983MbyMJC
CredentialingMandMprivilegingM-
MAnswerMprocessMwhichManMNPMisMgrantedMpermissionMtoMpracticeMinManMinptMsettin
g
CredentialingMwithMhospitalMprivilegesMisMgrantedMbyMaM-
MAnswerMHospitalMCredentialingMCommittee
PtMMedicalMAbandomentM-MAnswerMWhenMcaregiver-
ptMrelationshipMisMterminatedMw/oMmakingMreasonableMarrangementsMwManMappropriate
MpersonMsoMthatMcareMcanMbeMcontinued
,DeterminationMofMptMabandonmentMdependsMonMfactorsMsuchMas:M-
MAnswerMWhetherMNPMacceptedMptMassignment,MwhetherMNPMprovidedMreasonableMnot
iceMbeforeMtermination,MwhetherMreasonableMarrangementsMcouldMhaveMbeenMmade
FollowingMdoMnotMconstituteMptMabandonmentM-
MAnswerMNPMrefusesMtoMacceptMresponsibilityMforMptMassignmentMwhenMNPMhasMgiven
MreasonableMnoticeMtoMproperMauthorityMthatMNPMlacksMcompetenceMtoMcarryMoutMass
ignment;MNPMrefusesMassignmentMofMaMdoubleMshiftMorMaddtlMhrsMbeyondMpostedMwo
rkMscheduleMwhenMproperMnotificationMhasMbeenMgiven..latterMphraseMcanMbeMcontrove
rsial
RiskMMgmtM-
MAnswerMSystematicMeffortMtoMreduceMriskMbeginsMwMformalMwrittenMriskMmgmtMplan
MthatMincludes:MorganizationsMgoals,MdelineationMofMprogram'sMscope,Mcomponents,Mmet
hods;MdelegatingMresponsibilityMforMimplementationMandMenforcement;MdemonstratingMco
mmitmentMbyMtheMboard;MconfidentialityMandMimmunityMfromMretaliationMforMthoseMwh
oMreportMsensitiveMinfo
MostMcommonMmethodMofMdocumentationMforMriskMmgmtM-MAnswerMincidentMreports
PoliciesMregardingMincidentMreportsMshouldMaddress:M-
MAnswerMpplMauthorizedMtoMcompleteMreport;MpplMresponsibleMforMreviewMofMaMrepor
t,MimmediateMactionsMneededMtoMminimizeMtheMeffectsMofMtheMevent;MpplMresponsible
MforMfollowMup;MplanMforMmonitoringMaftermath;Msecurity/storageMofMcompletedMreport
RiskMmgmtM-MSatisfactionMsurveysM-
MAnswerMImportantMforMidentifyingMproblemsMbeforeMtheyMdevelopMintoMincidentsMorM
claims;MforMptsMandMemployees
RiskMmgmtM-
MComplaints:MRiskMmgmtMplanMshouldMdelineateMtracking,Manalyzing,MandMmanagingMco
mplaintsMbyMclearlyMidentifying:M-
MAnswerMpplMnotifiedMafterMreceivingMcomplaint;MpplMresponsibleMforMresponding;MpplM
responsibleMforMmonitoringMfollowMup
ActionMtakingMinitiatives:M-
MAnswerMPrevention,McorrectionM(correctiveMstepsMmustMbeMmonitoredMandMaudited),Md
ocumentation,Meducation,MdepartmentalMcoordination
, MedicalMFutilityM-
MAnswerMInterventionsMthatMareMunlikelyMtoMproduceMsignificantMbenefitMforMptM-
M"DoesMtheMinterventionMhaveManyMreasonableMprospectMofMhelpingMthisMpt?"
TwoMkindMofMmedicalMfutility:M-
MAnswerMQuantitativeMfutility:MlikelihoodMthatMinterventionMwillMbenefitMptMisMextremel
yMpoor
QualitativeMfutility:MqualityMofMbenefitManMinterventionMwillMproduceMisMextremelyMpoor
InformedMconsentM-McompetenceM(decisionalMcapability)M-
MAnswerMstateMthatMptMisMableMtoMmakeMpersonalMdecisionsMaboutMtheirMcare
competenceMimpliesMthatMabilityMto:M-
MAnswerMunderstand,Mreason,MdifferentiateMgoodMandMbad,MandMcommunicate
informedMconsentM-
MAnswerMptMhasMreceivedMadequateMinstructionMorMinfoMregardingMaspectsMofMcareMto
MmakeMprudent,MpersonalMchoiceMregardingMsuchMtx
InformedMconsentMincludes:M-MAnswerMdiscussingMbenefitsMandMrisk
consentMisMassumedMif...M-MAnswerMpt'sMconditionMisMlifeMthreatening
DanforthMAmendmentM1991M-
MAnswerMptsMareMinformedMatMtimeMofMadmissionMtoMfederallyMfundedMinstitutionM(su
chMasMhospital,MnursingMhome,Mhospice,MHMO,Metc)MthatMtheyMhaveMtheMrightMtoMref
useMcareMasMlongMasMtheMptMhasMdecisionalMcapabilityM(competence)
EthicsM-
MAnswerMstudyMofMmoralMconductMandMbehaviorMprotectingMtheMrightsMofManMindividu
al
1stMpriorityMisMtheM-
MAnswerMmostMsalvagableMpts.MMostMcriticallyMinjuredMcaredMforMlast.