lOMoARcPSD|46354221
Apea predictor exam blueprint testing domains knowledge
areas 26
Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning With Skills Lab (Grand Canyon
University)
, lOMoARcPSD|46354221
APEA Predictor Exam Blueprint 2026 | APEA Predictor Exam 2026 | 120 Comprehensive Practice
Questions and Answers with Rationales | 100% Correct.
APEA’s Test Blueprint is based on the following testing domains and knowledge areas. APEA hesitates to
be more specific for fear of divulging the test questions which would compromise the integrity of the
questions and the security of the exam. Since many Universities use this as a high stakes exam, we want
to avoid this at all costs.
APEA Testing Domains and Knowledge Areas for Predictor Exams
Testing Domains include:
Assessment:
These questions evaluate the student’s ability to obtain subjective information from a patient or
caregiver when a history is taken. It includes interview techniques, obtaining a chief complaint,
reviewing past records and identifying risk factors that a patient may possess.
The other part of the assessment questions deals with the student’s ability to obtain objective
information from the patient. This means conducting an assessment and recognizing normal and
abnormal findings.
Diagnosis:
These questions evaluate the student’s ability to order appropriate screening and diagnostic tests as
well as to interpret their findings. These questions focus on the student’s ability to consider differential
diagnoses when trying to distinguish between particular diseases and conditions that share the similar
clinical findings. Also included is the ability of the student to assimilate and synthesize assessment
findings with or without results of diagnostic tests to arrive at a diagnosis.
Planning and Intervention:
These questions evaluate the student’s ability to establish an appropriate plan of care as determined by
the patient’s diagnosis. It includes non-pharmacologic, pharmacologic interventions and relevant patient
education (this includes family and other caregivers as appropriate). This domain evaluates ordering,
performing additional tests when this is appropriate; making referrals or consulting with other health
professionals.
Evaluation:
These type questions evaluate the student’s ability to determine the effectiveness of the plan of care,
identify worsening or improvement in the patient’s condition. These questions evaluate the student’s
ability to make adjustments to the initial plan of care and provide ongoing follow up.
Evaluation tasks include (not limited to):
Assessing patient responses
Collecting additional data
Ordering, conducting and interpreting tests
Adjusting therapies
Additional education
Initiating referrals and consultations
, lOMoARcPSD|46354221
Pharmacotherapeutics:
These questions evaluate the student’s ability to make prescribing choices that involve a specific
medication or patient. This includes the ability to choose the best medication for a specific patient
taking into consideration drug side effects, efficacy, prescribing constraints due to cost, allergies, drug-
drug and drug-disease interactions.
Students should review:
Drug classes
Prescribing: Mechanism of action, brands, and drug classes
Safety: Adverse and toxic reactions
Pharmacokinetics (absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion) and drug-drug
interactions
Precautions, indications and contraindications
Patient education: Delivery and monitoring
Evaluation: Efficacy and side effects
Pathophysiology:
These questions evaluate the student’s knowledge of developmental physiology, pathogenesis and
etiology of altered physical and psychological health or disease conditions. From this knowledge the
student should be able to relate clinical manifestations to certain diseases or conditions.
Knowledge Areas include Primary Care Diagnoses for FNP related to each body system:
Cardiovascular
Dermatology
Ear, Nose, and Throat
Endocrine
Gastroenterology
Health Promotion
Hematology
Men’s Health
Neurology
Orthopedics
Pediatrics
Pregnancy
Professional Issues
Psychiatry
Respiratory
Sexually Transmitted Infections
Urology
Women’s Health
Pediatrics and Pregnancy only for FNP Exams
, lOMoARcPSD|46354221
Students are encouraged to review diseases or conditions in each knowledge area while focusing on:
Pathophysiology: description, etiology, and incidence
Risk factors including history
Assessment findings
Diagnosis: including differentials; an understanding of pathophysiology is important to arrive at
a proper diagnosis
Diagnostic studies: includes any kind of medical test performed to aid in the diagnosis or
detection of disease, injury or any other medical condition.
Management: Non-Pharm, Pharm and patient education and prevention
Evaluation: Follow-up, complications, expected course, consultation and referral
The table below indicates examples of diagnoses in each knowledge area related to questions asked on
the Predictor exams. It also indicates the related testing domain. Note that this is a wide range of
categories and the computer randomly generates questions from this database to create a uniques
exam for each student. When viewing the cohort scores, referring to this blueprint would give Faculty an
indication of cohort weak areas or knowledge deficits for that cohort. Likewise, any knowledge area or
testing domain with scores < 70% on an individual student’s results page would indicate a gap in
knowledge for that area and students should be encouraged to create a study plan to improve their
knowledge level in those identified categories.
Predictor Exam
Knowledge Area Testing Domain Diagnosis
CV Assessment Uncontrolled hypertension; hypertension
guidelines-JNC8
CV Planning/intervention Coronary Arterial Blockage
CV Pharm Chronic atrial Fib-Coumadin effects
CV Diagnosis Chest pain causes
CV Pharm Digitoxin levels and atrial fib
CV Assessment Retinopathy and hypertension
CV Assessment EKG and hypokalemia
CV Pharm Drug class related to elevated lipids
CV Pharm Hypertension treatment all populations &
w/comorbidities
CV Pharm; assessment; Heart failure first line treatment; S/S;
diagnosis
CV Assessment Heart failure symptoms
Apea predictor exam blueprint testing domains knowledge
areas 26
Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning With Skills Lab (Grand Canyon
University)
, lOMoARcPSD|46354221
APEA Predictor Exam Blueprint 2026 | APEA Predictor Exam 2026 | 120 Comprehensive Practice
Questions and Answers with Rationales | 100% Correct.
APEA’s Test Blueprint is based on the following testing domains and knowledge areas. APEA hesitates to
be more specific for fear of divulging the test questions which would compromise the integrity of the
questions and the security of the exam. Since many Universities use this as a high stakes exam, we want
to avoid this at all costs.
APEA Testing Domains and Knowledge Areas for Predictor Exams
Testing Domains include:
Assessment:
These questions evaluate the student’s ability to obtain subjective information from a patient or
caregiver when a history is taken. It includes interview techniques, obtaining a chief complaint,
reviewing past records and identifying risk factors that a patient may possess.
The other part of the assessment questions deals with the student’s ability to obtain objective
information from the patient. This means conducting an assessment and recognizing normal and
abnormal findings.
Diagnosis:
These questions evaluate the student’s ability to order appropriate screening and diagnostic tests as
well as to interpret their findings. These questions focus on the student’s ability to consider differential
diagnoses when trying to distinguish between particular diseases and conditions that share the similar
clinical findings. Also included is the ability of the student to assimilate and synthesize assessment
findings with or without results of diagnostic tests to arrive at a diagnosis.
Planning and Intervention:
These questions evaluate the student’s ability to establish an appropriate plan of care as determined by
the patient’s diagnosis. It includes non-pharmacologic, pharmacologic interventions and relevant patient
education (this includes family and other caregivers as appropriate). This domain evaluates ordering,
performing additional tests when this is appropriate; making referrals or consulting with other health
professionals.
Evaluation:
These type questions evaluate the student’s ability to determine the effectiveness of the plan of care,
identify worsening or improvement in the patient’s condition. These questions evaluate the student’s
ability to make adjustments to the initial plan of care and provide ongoing follow up.
Evaluation tasks include (not limited to):
Assessing patient responses
Collecting additional data
Ordering, conducting and interpreting tests
Adjusting therapies
Additional education
Initiating referrals and consultations
, lOMoARcPSD|46354221
Pharmacotherapeutics:
These questions evaluate the student’s ability to make prescribing choices that involve a specific
medication or patient. This includes the ability to choose the best medication for a specific patient
taking into consideration drug side effects, efficacy, prescribing constraints due to cost, allergies, drug-
drug and drug-disease interactions.
Students should review:
Drug classes
Prescribing: Mechanism of action, brands, and drug classes
Safety: Adverse and toxic reactions
Pharmacokinetics (absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion) and drug-drug
interactions
Precautions, indications and contraindications
Patient education: Delivery and monitoring
Evaluation: Efficacy and side effects
Pathophysiology:
These questions evaluate the student’s knowledge of developmental physiology, pathogenesis and
etiology of altered physical and psychological health or disease conditions. From this knowledge the
student should be able to relate clinical manifestations to certain diseases or conditions.
Knowledge Areas include Primary Care Diagnoses for FNP related to each body system:
Cardiovascular
Dermatology
Ear, Nose, and Throat
Endocrine
Gastroenterology
Health Promotion
Hematology
Men’s Health
Neurology
Orthopedics
Pediatrics
Pregnancy
Professional Issues
Psychiatry
Respiratory
Sexually Transmitted Infections
Urology
Women’s Health
Pediatrics and Pregnancy only for FNP Exams
, lOMoARcPSD|46354221
Students are encouraged to review diseases or conditions in each knowledge area while focusing on:
Pathophysiology: description, etiology, and incidence
Risk factors including history
Assessment findings
Diagnosis: including differentials; an understanding of pathophysiology is important to arrive at
a proper diagnosis
Diagnostic studies: includes any kind of medical test performed to aid in the diagnosis or
detection of disease, injury or any other medical condition.
Management: Non-Pharm, Pharm and patient education and prevention
Evaluation: Follow-up, complications, expected course, consultation and referral
The table below indicates examples of diagnoses in each knowledge area related to questions asked on
the Predictor exams. It also indicates the related testing domain. Note that this is a wide range of
categories and the computer randomly generates questions from this database to create a uniques
exam for each student. When viewing the cohort scores, referring to this blueprint would give Faculty an
indication of cohort weak areas or knowledge deficits for that cohort. Likewise, any knowledge area or
testing domain with scores < 70% on an individual student’s results page would indicate a gap in
knowledge for that area and students should be encouraged to create a study plan to improve their
knowledge level in those identified categories.
Predictor Exam
Knowledge Area Testing Domain Diagnosis
CV Assessment Uncontrolled hypertension; hypertension
guidelines-JNC8
CV Planning/intervention Coronary Arterial Blockage
CV Pharm Chronic atrial Fib-Coumadin effects
CV Diagnosis Chest pain causes
CV Pharm Digitoxin levels and atrial fib
CV Assessment Retinopathy and hypertension
CV Assessment EKG and hypokalemia
CV Pharm Drug class related to elevated lipids
CV Pharm Hypertension treatment all populations &
w/comorbidities
CV Pharm; assessment; Heart failure first line treatment; S/S;
diagnosis
CV Assessment Heart failure symptoms
