ANCC Exam 2026 Study Guide | Complete Nursing
Certification Practice Questions, Answers & Exam
Prep
History of NP Role - ANS✔✔-Ford and SIlver in CO in 1965
state legislative statutes - ANS✔✔-grant legal authority, the nurse practice act, may require
collaborative agreement
collaborative agreement - ANS✔✔-what types of drugs may be prescribed and of some oversight
board
statutory law - ANS✔✔-rules differ for each state, further define scope of practice
licensure - ANS✔✔-agency of state grants permission to individuals accountable for the practice
of a profession
credentialing - ANS✔✔-protect the pubic by ensuring minimum level of competence
certification - ANS✔✔-determines scope of practice, certifies that an individual has met certain
standards
scope of practice - ANS✔✔-defines NP roles and action, varies from state to state
standards of practice - ANS✔✔-regarding the quality and type of practice, a way to judge the
nature of care given
confidentiality - ANS✔✔-information is not disclosed, protected by Medical Record
Confidentiality Act of 1996
HIPAA - ANS✔✔-health care privacy act: educated about HIPAA, have access to medical
records, request amendments, require their permission for disclosure
Tarasoff principle - ANS✔✔-1976 - duty to warn victims of potential harm from client
Justice - ANS✔✔-doing what is fair, fairness in care
Beneficence - ANS✔✔-promoting well being and doing good
nonmalfeasance - ANS✔✔-doing no harm
fidelity - ANS✔✔-being true and loyal
autonomy - ANS✔✔-doing for self
veracity - ANS✔✔-telling the truth
respect - ANS✔✔-treating everyone with equal respect
deontological theory - ANS✔✔-action is judged based on the act itself
teleological theory - ANS✔✔-action is judged based on the consequences
virtue ethics - ANS✔✔-actions are chosen based on moral virtues of the person
Four elements of malpractice - ANS✔✔-duty, breach of duty, proximate cause, damages
competency - ANS✔✔-legal, not medical concept - determination that client can make
reasonable judgments and decisions regarding treatment and health concerns
primary prevention - ANS✔✔-decreasing the incidence of mental disorders
ex. stress management classes, smoking prevention, DARE
secondary prevention - ANS✔✔-aimed at decreasing prevalence
ex. telephone hotlines, crisis intervention, disaster response
tertiary prevention - ANS✔✔-aimed at decreasing the disability and severity of mental disorder
ex. day programs, housing, social skills training
biological risk factors - ANS✔✔-hx of mental illness, poor nutrition, poor health
,ANCC Exam 2026 Study Guide | Complete Nursing
Certification Practice Questions, Answers & Exam
Prep
psychological risk factors - ANS✔✔-poor self concept, external locus of control, poor ego
defenses
social risk factors - ANS✔✔-stressful occupation, low socioeconomic status, poor level of social
integration
research utilization - ANS✔✔-synthesizing, disseminating, and using research generated
knowledge to make a change in practice
evidence based practice - ANS✔✔-integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise
and patient values and needs
evidence based practice model - ANS✔✔-P - patient, population, problem
I - intervention
C- comparison treatment or placebo
O - outcome
internal validity - ANS✔✔-the treatment caused a change in the outcome
external validity - ANS✔✔-the outcome is generalizable to the population
IRB - ANS✔✔-protects rights of participants in studies - the belmont report
Trust v Mistrust - ANS✔✔-0-1 year
ability to form relationships, hope, trust in others
Autonomy v Shame and doubt - ANS✔✔-1-3 years
self control, self esteem, will power
Initiative v guilt - ANS✔✔-3-6 years
self directed behavior, goal formation, sense of purpose
Industry v inferiority - ANS✔✔-6-12 years
ability to work, sense of competency and achievement
Identity v role confusion - ANS✔✔-12-20 years
personal sense of identity
Intimacy v isolation - ANS✔✔-20-35 years
committed relationships, capacity to love
generativity v self absorption or stagnation - ANS✔✔-35-65 years
ability to give time and talent to others, ability to grow and change
integrity v despair - ANS✔✔-> 65 years
fulfillment and comfort with life, willingness to face death, insight
Psychodynamic theory - ANS✔✔-Freud
intrapsychic conflict among structures of mind
Id (I want), ego (I think, I evaluate), superego (I should or ought)
all behavior is purposeful and meaningful
oral stage - ANS✔✔-0-18 months
sucking, chewing, feeding
linked to schizophrenia, substance abuse, paranoia
anal stage - ANS✔✔-18 - 3 years
sphincter control, expulsions, retentions
linked to depressive disorders
, ANCC Exam 2026 Study Guide | Complete Nursing
Certification Practice Questions, Answers & Exam
Prep
phallic stage - ANS✔✔-3-6 years
exhibitionism, masturbation
linked to sexual identity issues
latency stage - ANS✔✔-6-puberty
peer relationships, learning, socialization
linked to issues forming relationships
genital stage - ANS✔✔-puberty and on
integration and synthesis of behaviors from early stages, genital based sexuality
linked to sexual perversion disorders
Denial - ANS✔✔-avoidance of unpleasant realities but ignoring them
projection - ANS✔✔-unconscious rejection of unacceptable personal beliefs or feelings by
attributing them to others
regression - ANS✔✔-return to more comfortable thoughts, behaviors, or feelings in earlier
stages of development
repression - ANS✔✔-unconscious exclusion of unwanted emotions or thoughts
reaction formation - ANS✔✔-overcompensation; opposite feeling is acted on
rationalization - ANS✔✔-justification of illogical ideas, feelings or actions by developing an
acceptable explanation
undoing - ANS✔✔-attempting to make up for or undo an unacceptable behavior
intellectualization - ANS✔✔-attempts to master current stressor or conflict by expansion of
knowledge
suppression - ANS✔✔-conscious analog of repression
sublimination - ANS✔✔-unconscious process of substitution of socially acceptable constructive
activity for strong unacceptable impulse
altruism - ANS✔✔-meeting the needs of others in order to discharge drives
cognitive theory - ANS✔✔-piaget
human development evolves through cognition, learning, and comprehending
stages of development
Sensorimotor - ANS✔✔-birth - 2 years
object permanence - objects have existence regardless of child's involvement
preoperational - ANS✔✔-2-7 year
extensive use of language, symbolism, magical thinking
concrete operational - ANS✔✔-7-12 years
reversibility
conservation
formal operational - ANS✔✔-12 and on
ability to abstract, logical thinking
Interpersonal theory - ANS✔✔-Sullivan
behavior occurs because of interpersonal dynamics; the self system is all components of
personality
Certification Practice Questions, Answers & Exam
Prep
History of NP Role - ANS✔✔-Ford and SIlver in CO in 1965
state legislative statutes - ANS✔✔-grant legal authority, the nurse practice act, may require
collaborative agreement
collaborative agreement - ANS✔✔-what types of drugs may be prescribed and of some oversight
board
statutory law - ANS✔✔-rules differ for each state, further define scope of practice
licensure - ANS✔✔-agency of state grants permission to individuals accountable for the practice
of a profession
credentialing - ANS✔✔-protect the pubic by ensuring minimum level of competence
certification - ANS✔✔-determines scope of practice, certifies that an individual has met certain
standards
scope of practice - ANS✔✔-defines NP roles and action, varies from state to state
standards of practice - ANS✔✔-regarding the quality and type of practice, a way to judge the
nature of care given
confidentiality - ANS✔✔-information is not disclosed, protected by Medical Record
Confidentiality Act of 1996
HIPAA - ANS✔✔-health care privacy act: educated about HIPAA, have access to medical
records, request amendments, require their permission for disclosure
Tarasoff principle - ANS✔✔-1976 - duty to warn victims of potential harm from client
Justice - ANS✔✔-doing what is fair, fairness in care
Beneficence - ANS✔✔-promoting well being and doing good
nonmalfeasance - ANS✔✔-doing no harm
fidelity - ANS✔✔-being true and loyal
autonomy - ANS✔✔-doing for self
veracity - ANS✔✔-telling the truth
respect - ANS✔✔-treating everyone with equal respect
deontological theory - ANS✔✔-action is judged based on the act itself
teleological theory - ANS✔✔-action is judged based on the consequences
virtue ethics - ANS✔✔-actions are chosen based on moral virtues of the person
Four elements of malpractice - ANS✔✔-duty, breach of duty, proximate cause, damages
competency - ANS✔✔-legal, not medical concept - determination that client can make
reasonable judgments and decisions regarding treatment and health concerns
primary prevention - ANS✔✔-decreasing the incidence of mental disorders
ex. stress management classes, smoking prevention, DARE
secondary prevention - ANS✔✔-aimed at decreasing prevalence
ex. telephone hotlines, crisis intervention, disaster response
tertiary prevention - ANS✔✔-aimed at decreasing the disability and severity of mental disorder
ex. day programs, housing, social skills training
biological risk factors - ANS✔✔-hx of mental illness, poor nutrition, poor health
,ANCC Exam 2026 Study Guide | Complete Nursing
Certification Practice Questions, Answers & Exam
Prep
psychological risk factors - ANS✔✔-poor self concept, external locus of control, poor ego
defenses
social risk factors - ANS✔✔-stressful occupation, low socioeconomic status, poor level of social
integration
research utilization - ANS✔✔-synthesizing, disseminating, and using research generated
knowledge to make a change in practice
evidence based practice - ANS✔✔-integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise
and patient values and needs
evidence based practice model - ANS✔✔-P - patient, population, problem
I - intervention
C- comparison treatment or placebo
O - outcome
internal validity - ANS✔✔-the treatment caused a change in the outcome
external validity - ANS✔✔-the outcome is generalizable to the population
IRB - ANS✔✔-protects rights of participants in studies - the belmont report
Trust v Mistrust - ANS✔✔-0-1 year
ability to form relationships, hope, trust in others
Autonomy v Shame and doubt - ANS✔✔-1-3 years
self control, self esteem, will power
Initiative v guilt - ANS✔✔-3-6 years
self directed behavior, goal formation, sense of purpose
Industry v inferiority - ANS✔✔-6-12 years
ability to work, sense of competency and achievement
Identity v role confusion - ANS✔✔-12-20 years
personal sense of identity
Intimacy v isolation - ANS✔✔-20-35 years
committed relationships, capacity to love
generativity v self absorption or stagnation - ANS✔✔-35-65 years
ability to give time and talent to others, ability to grow and change
integrity v despair - ANS✔✔-> 65 years
fulfillment and comfort with life, willingness to face death, insight
Psychodynamic theory - ANS✔✔-Freud
intrapsychic conflict among structures of mind
Id (I want), ego (I think, I evaluate), superego (I should or ought)
all behavior is purposeful and meaningful
oral stage - ANS✔✔-0-18 months
sucking, chewing, feeding
linked to schizophrenia, substance abuse, paranoia
anal stage - ANS✔✔-18 - 3 years
sphincter control, expulsions, retentions
linked to depressive disorders
, ANCC Exam 2026 Study Guide | Complete Nursing
Certification Practice Questions, Answers & Exam
Prep
phallic stage - ANS✔✔-3-6 years
exhibitionism, masturbation
linked to sexual identity issues
latency stage - ANS✔✔-6-puberty
peer relationships, learning, socialization
linked to issues forming relationships
genital stage - ANS✔✔-puberty and on
integration and synthesis of behaviors from early stages, genital based sexuality
linked to sexual perversion disorders
Denial - ANS✔✔-avoidance of unpleasant realities but ignoring them
projection - ANS✔✔-unconscious rejection of unacceptable personal beliefs or feelings by
attributing them to others
regression - ANS✔✔-return to more comfortable thoughts, behaviors, or feelings in earlier
stages of development
repression - ANS✔✔-unconscious exclusion of unwanted emotions or thoughts
reaction formation - ANS✔✔-overcompensation; opposite feeling is acted on
rationalization - ANS✔✔-justification of illogical ideas, feelings or actions by developing an
acceptable explanation
undoing - ANS✔✔-attempting to make up for or undo an unacceptable behavior
intellectualization - ANS✔✔-attempts to master current stressor or conflict by expansion of
knowledge
suppression - ANS✔✔-conscious analog of repression
sublimination - ANS✔✔-unconscious process of substitution of socially acceptable constructive
activity for strong unacceptable impulse
altruism - ANS✔✔-meeting the needs of others in order to discharge drives
cognitive theory - ANS✔✔-piaget
human development evolves through cognition, learning, and comprehending
stages of development
Sensorimotor - ANS✔✔-birth - 2 years
object permanence - objects have existence regardless of child's involvement
preoperational - ANS✔✔-2-7 year
extensive use of language, symbolism, magical thinking
concrete operational - ANS✔✔-7-12 years
reversibility
conservation
formal operational - ANS✔✔-12 and on
ability to abstract, logical thinking
Interpersonal theory - ANS✔✔-Sullivan
behavior occurs because of interpersonal dynamics; the self system is all components of
personality
