FNP-BC - Family Nurse Practitioner (Certified by ANCC)

Master’s prepared Nurse Practitioners are eligible to receive the certification of Family Nurse Practitioner or FNP. This career route is gaining popularity as it offers more flexibility than a standard Nurse Practitioner. A Family Nurse Practitioner can treat patients from infancy all the way through to geriatrics.

The Family Nurse Practitioner Certification (FNP-BC) is offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

Cost:

• Non-members: $395

• American Nurses Association Members: $295

• American Association of Nurse Practitioners Members: $340

• American Association of Nurse Practitioners Student Members: $290

• Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association Members: $340

The exam required for the Family Nurse Practitioner Certification is made up of 175 questions, 150 of which are scored with 25 pretest questions that do not contribute to your final score. Test takers are given 3.5 hours to complete the exam.

In order to test for the Family Nurse Practitioner Certification you’ll need to:

• Confirm your eligibility

• Apply online

• Submit education verification documents

The FNP-BC certification is valid for 5 years. To be eligible for renewal, applicants must:

• Have an active RN license in any U.S. state or the legal equivalent in another country

• Have a current, active FNP-BC certification from the ANCC

• Complete 75 Continuing Education Units (CEUs), 25 CE hours must be related to pharmacology. 60 CE hours must be formally approved by the ANCC

• Complete one of the 8 professional development categories 

• Pay renewal fee

The professional development component includes the mandatory 75 CE hours PLUS completion of at least one of the following 8 categories:

1. 75 CE hours in addition to the mandatory 75 CE hours

2. Academic credits: 5 semester credits or 6 quarter credits

3. One or more presentations totaling 5 hours

4. One Evidence-Based Practice (EBP), Quality Improvement Project (QI) or one qualifying publication or one Institutional Review Board research project, completed dissertation or thesis, or doctoral project

5. At least 120 hours as a preceptor for students in an academic program

6. Two or more consecutive years of volunteer service with an international, national, state, or local healthcare-related organization

7. 1,000 practice hours (not required to renew certification but option to fulfill professional development)

8. Pass the current FNP-BC exam

FNP-BCs must complete the professional development section before completing the online renewal application. Alternatively, renewal applicants may renew by mail by sending a request to [email protected].

When it comes time to prepare for the FNP certification exam, you’ll definitely want to utilize some study materials to help. There are a variety of helpful resources that can help you, including:

• Candidate Handbook

• Sample Test Questions

• Test Content Outline

• Readiness Test (Cost: $85)

• Reference List

The ANCC also offers the following certifications:

• Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP-BC)

• Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (AGCNS-BC)

• Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP-BC)