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Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)

The FNP certification examination is an entry-level competency-based examination that tests clinical knowledge in family/individual across the life span.

How many questions are on the examination?

  • There are 150 questions on each examination. A candidate's score is based solely on the 135 scored questions. Of the 150 questions, 15 are pretest questions.
  • Pretest questions are used on the examinations to obtain statistical information for determining how well they perform prior to vetting them for use on the scored portion of the examination. The pretest questions cannot be distinguished from those that are scored. A test-taker’s score on pretest questions does not affect a candidate's final score.

2024 FNP EXAMINATION BLUEPRINT

DOMAIN I - Domains

# items

% items

DOMAIN II - Patient Age *

# items

% items

01 - Assess

43

32%

Newborn

3

2%

02 - Diagnose

36

26.5%

Infant

4

3%

03 - Plan

36

26.5%

Toddler

5

4%

04 - Evaluate

20

15%

Child

6

4%

TOTAL

135

100%

Adolescent*

12

9%

 

 

 

Young Adult*

30

22%

 

 

 

Middle Adult*

35

26%

 

 

 

Older Adult

40

30%

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Includes Prenatal

 

 

 

TOTAL

135

100%
Age Parameters are not defined for any population. NPCB uses growth and development for constructing the certification exams.


DOMAINS AND TASKS

DOMAIN 01 - ASSESS
  • Obtain elements of subjective patient information (e.g., chief complaint, history, review of systems)
  • Perform appropriate physical examination (e.g., focused, complete)
  • Order, perform, and interpret screening and diagnostic tests
DOMAIN 02 - DIAGNOSE
  • Synthesize and analyze subjective and objective information to develop differential diagnoses
  • Prioritize differential diagnoses and establish primary diagnosis
DOMAIN 03 - PLAN
  • Establish a patient-centered, evidence-based plan of care
  • Initiate interprofessional referrals or consultations
  • Prescribe, order or administer pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments
  • Provide education, counseling, and health promotion strategies
DOMAIN 04 - EVALUATE
  • Evaluate effectiveness of plan of care
  • Monitor and modify plan of care based on patient outcomes

FNP KNOWLEDGE AREAS

Health Assessment
  • Diagnostic and therapeutic tests
  • Specialized assessments (e.g., developmental, functional, psychological)
  • Health history
  • Physical examination
Pathophysiology
  • Anatomy
  • Physiology
  • Pathophysiology
  • Co-morbidities
Therapeutics
  • Pharmacologic
  • Non-pharmacologic
  • Integrative
Evidence-Informed Practice
  • Crisis management
  • Diagnostic reasoning
  • Health promotion, harm reduction, and disease prevention
  • Healthcare economics (e.g., cost, billing)
  • Interprofessional practice
  • Legal and ethical issues
  • Patient and family education and counselling
  • Principles of epidemiology, population health, and social drivers of health (SDoH)
  • Procedures
  • Transitions of care
  • Cultural responsiveness
  • Therapeutic communication
  • Pain management