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AANPCB Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Exam Cheat Sheet (2026)
A free, printable AANPCB Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) exam cheat sheet: the 57 highest-yield points to know, grouped into 4 sections that follow the exam's content areas, each section with its published weight.
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- 57 of the 57 points carry a citation to the rule they come from.
- The real AANPCB Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) exam: 150 questions · 180 minutes.
- Prints from your browser (Ctrl-P, or Cmd-P on a Mac) — the navigation, buttons and links drop out of the printed copy.
- 117 free AANPCB Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) practice questions on the same material, every one explained.
- Last updated: September 2026.
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Assess: History, Examination, Screening and Diagnostic Tests
32% of the exam- Three Assess tasks
- History (chief complaint, history, review of systems), physical examination (focused or complete), and screening and diagnostic testing are the three tasks tested in this domain.· NPCB FNP Candidate Handbook (updated 06/2026), Appendix A
- Lifespan age weighting
- Of 135 scored items, older adults account for 30%, middle adults 26%, young adults 22%, adolescents 9%, and newborn through child 13% combined.· NPCB FNP Candidate Handbook (updated 06/2026), Appendix A, Domain II
- Specialized assessments
- The knowledge areas include developmental, functional, and psychological assessments alongside the health history and physical examination.· NPCB FNP Candidate Handbook, FNP Applied Knowledge Areas
- Colorectal cancer
- Screen all adults aged 50 to 75 (grade A) and adults aged 45 to 49 (grade B); offer screening selectively at 76 to 85.· USPSTF Colorectal Cancer: Screening, 2021
- Breast cancer
- Biennial screening mammography for women aged 40 to 74 (grade B); evidence is insufficient at 75 and older.· USPSTF Breast Cancer: Screening, 2024
- Lung cancer
- Annual low-dose CT for adults 50 to 80 with a 20 pack-year history who smoke now or quit within 15 years.· USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021
- Diabetes and hepatitis C
- Screen adults 35 to 70 with overweight or obesity for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, and screen all adults 18 to 79 once for hepatitis C.· USPSTF Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes: Screening, 2021; Hepatitis C: Screening, 2020
- Osteoporosis and AAA
- Screen women 65 and older (and younger postmenopausal women at increased risk) with DXA; offer one-time aortic ultrasound to men 65 to 75 who have ever smoked.· USPSTF Osteoporosis: Screening, 2025; Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: Screening, 2019
- First prenatal visit
- Rh(D) typing and antibody testing, syphilis screening, and a urine culture for asymptomatic bacteriuria (first visit or 12 to 16 weeks) are recommended early in pregnancy.· USPSTF Rh(D) Incompatibility; Syphilis in Pregnancy, 2025; Asymptomatic Bacteriuria, 2019
- Gestational diabetes
- Screen asymptomatic pregnant persons at 24 weeks or later; evidence is insufficient before 24 weeks.· USPSTF Gestational Diabetes: Screening, 2021
- Cervical and STI screening
- No cervical screening before 21 or after 65 with adequate prior screening; screen sexually active women 24 and younger for chlamydia and gonorrhea.· USPSTF Cervical Cancer: Screening, 2018; Chlamydia and Gonorrhea: Screening, 2021
- Adolescent interview
- Explain confidentiality and its legal limits and give the adolescent time alone; CRAFFT is a brief substance-use screen in which two or more yes answers suggest a serious problem.· AMA Journal of Ethics (Virtual Mentor), March 2005
- Developmental surveillance
- Compare the child with age milestones (for example, sitting without support by 9 months, walking by 18 months, two-word phrases by 2 years) and treat any loss of skills as a red flag.· CDC Learn the Signs. Act Early. milestone checklists
- Acute otitis media
- Diagnose with moderate or severe tympanic membrane bulging, new otorrhea, or mild bulging with recent ear pain or intense erythema; do not diagnose without middle ear effusion.· CDC Outpatient Clinical Care for Pediatric Populations
- Strep testing
- Test children with sore throat plus suggestive features; back up a negative rapid test with culture in children and adolescents, and generally do not test children under 3.· CDC Outpatient Clinical Care for Pediatric Populations
- Febrile infant UTI
- For children 2 to 24 months, confirm UTI with a catheter or suprapubic specimen showing at least 50,000 CFU/mL of a single uropathogen, never bag urine.· CDC Outpatient Clinical Care for Pediatric Populations
Diagnose: Differential Diagnosis and the Primary Diagnosis
27% of the exam- Two Diagnose tasks
- Develop a differential from subjective and objective data, then prioritize it and establish the primary diagnosis.· NPCB FNP exam page, Domains and Tasks
- Blood pressure categories
- Normal is below 120/80; elevated is 120-129 systolic with diastolic below 80; stage 1 is 130-139 or 80-89; stage 2 is 140 or higher or 90 or higher.· NHLBI High Blood Pressure; 2025 AHA/ACC High Blood Pressure Guideline
- Glucose categories
- Prediabetes is an A1C of 5.7-6.4% or fasting glucose of 100-125 mg/dL; diabetes is an A1C of 6.5% or more, fasting glucose of 126 or more, 2-hour OGTT of 200 or more, or random glucose of 200 or more with symptoms.· NIDDK Diabetes Tests & Diagnosis (ADA criteria)
- Pyloric stenosis vs intussusception
- Pyloric stenosis causes forceful nonbilious vomiting starting around 3 weeks with an olive-shaped mass; intussusception causes colicky pain and currant-jelly stool, usually between 5 months and 3 years.· MedlinePlus (NLM) Medical Encyclopedia
- Limp and knee pain
- In an adolescent with obesity, knee pain with a limp may come from slipped capital femoral epiphysis; a tender tibial tubercle in an active adolescent suggests Osgood-Schlatter disease.· MedlinePlus (NLM) Medical Encyclopedia
- Childhood rashes
- Slapped cheeks with a lacy body rash suggest fifth disease; a sandpaper rash with strep pharyngitis is scarlet fever; honey-colored crusts are impetigo.· MedlinePlus (NLM) Medical Encyclopedia
- Airway illnesses
- Barking cough and inspiratory stridor point to croup; wheezing and crackles in an infant under 2 after a cold point to bronchiolitis, most often from RSV.· MedlinePlus (NLM) Medical Encyclopedia; CDC pediatric outpatient guidance
- Bacterial vaginosis
- Amsel criteria are thin homogeneous discharge, clue cells, vaginal pH above 4.5, and a positive whiff test; at least three are needed.· CDC STI Treatment Guidelines 2021
- PID minimum criteria
- In a sexually active young woman with pelvic pain and no other cause, cervical motion, uterine, or adnexal tenderness is enough to start empiric treatment.· CDC STI Treatment Guidelines 2021
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Pain in early pregnancy with shoulder pain, weakness, or signs of bleeding suggests rupture and is an emergency.· ACOG patient FAQ, Ectopic Pregnancy
- Menopause, PCOS, endometriosis
- Menopause is confirmed after 12 months without a period; PCOS combines infrequent periods with androgen excess; endometriosis causes worsening dysmenorrhea, deep dyspareunia, and infertility.· ACOG; Office on Women's Health (HHS)
- RA vs OA vs gout
- Rheumatoid arthritis is symmetric with morning stiffness over 30 minutes; osteoarthritis stiffness usually lasts under 30 minutes; gout flares start suddenly, often at night in the big toe.· NIAMS Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoarthritis, Gout
- Thyroid
- High TSH with low free T4 is primary hypothyroidism, and TPO antibodies point to Hashimoto disease; Graves disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism.· NIDDK Hashimoto's Disease; MedlinePlus Hyperthyroidism
- TIA
- Stroke-like symptoms that usually resolve within an hour (up to 24 hours) define a transient ischemic attack and need urgent evaluation.· NINDS Transient Ischemic Attack
- Parkinson disease vs atrial fibrillation clues
- A pill-rolling tremor most obvious at rest suggests Parkinson disease; an irregularly irregular pulse without P waves is atrial fibrillation.· NINDS Parkinson's Disease; NHLBI Atrial Fibrillation
Plan: Treatment, Referral, Education and Prevention
27% of the exam- Four Plan tasks
- Plan of care, referral or consultation, pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment, and education and health promotion.· NPCB FNP Candidate Handbook (updated 06/2026), Appendix A
- Confirm understanding
- Use teach-back or show-me rather than asking whether the patient understands.· AHRQ PSNet, Health literacy
- Preventive medication
- Folic acid 0.4-0.8 mg daily before conception, low-dose aspirin after 12 weeks for high preeclampsia risk, and PrEP for people at increased HIV risk are USPSTF-recommended preventive medications.· USPSTF Folic Acid, 2023; Aspirin for Preeclampsia, 2021; HIV PrEP, 2023
- STI regimens
- Chlamydia: doxycycline for 7 days. Gonorrhea: ceftriaxone 500 mg IM once (under 150 kg). Primary syphilis: benzathine penicillin G 2.4 million units IM once. Trichomoniasis in women: metronidazole for 7 days.· CDC STI Treatment Guidelines 2021
- Respiratory infections
- Amoxicillin or penicillin for strep pharyngitis (10 days); amoxicillin for otitis media unless amoxicillin was used in the past 30 days; no antibiotics for colds or uncomplicated acute bronchitis.· CDC Outpatient Clinical Care for Adults and Pediatric Populations
- Cystitis
- Nitrofurantoin, fosfomycin, or TMP-SMX where local resistance is under 20% are first-line; reserve fluoroquinolones.· CDC Outpatient Clinical Care for Adults
- Influenza
- Start antivirals as soon as possible for higher-risk patients without waiting for test results; avoid inhaled zanamivir in asthma or COPD.· CDC Influenza Antiviral Medications: Summary for Clinicians
- Hypertension
- First-line classes are thiazide-type diuretics, long-acting dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers, and ACE inhibitors or ARBs; stage 2 usually starts with two drugs, preferably in one pill; the goal for most adults is below 130/80.· 2025 AHA/ACC High Blood Pressure Guideline
- Type 2 diabetes
- Use an SGLT2 inhibitor in heart failure and a GLP-1 RA or SGLT2 inhibitor with proven benefit in ASCVD, regardless of A1C; consider insulin when A1C is above 10% or glucose is 300 or more with symptoms.· ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes-2026, Section 9
- COPD
- Start LABA plus LAMA in GOLD groups B and E; LABA plus ICS is not encouraged; long-term oxygen for resting PaO2 of 55 mm Hg or less.· GOLD 2026 Report
- Asthma
- Do not treat adults, adolescents, or children 6-11 with SABA alone; as-needed low-dose ICS-formoterol is GINA's preferred reliever for adults and adolescents.· GINA 2026 Summary Guide
- Adult vaccines
- Recombinant zoster vaccine (2 doses) for adults 50 and older regardless of prior shingles; Tdap in each pregnancy at 27-36 weeks; tetanus booster after 5 years for wounds that are not clean and minor.· CDC Adult Immunization Schedule Notes, 2025
- Acute and chronic pain
- Prefer nonopioid therapy; if opioids are needed, use immediate-release forms at the lowest dose for the shortest expected duration, check the PDMP, and offer naloxone.· CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain, 2022
- Opioid use disorder
- Offer or arrange medication treatment; detoxification alone is not recommended.· CDC Opioid Prescribing Guideline 2022, Recommendation 12
- Perinatal depression prevention
- Provide or refer pregnant and postpartum people at increased risk to counseling such as cognitive behavioral or interpersonal therapy.· USPSTF Perinatal Depression: Preventive Interventions, 2019
Evaluate: Monitoring Outcomes and Modifying the Plan
15% of the exam- Two Evaluate tasks
- Evaluate the effectiveness of the plan of care; monitor and modify it based on outcomes.· NPCB FNP exam page, Domains and Tasks
- Check the basics before escalating
- Before stepping up asthma treatment, check inhaler technique and adherence first.· GINA 2026 Summary Guide
- Deintensify when harm exceeds benefit
- In older adults with hypoglycemia, reduce or stop sulfonylureas or insulin and use less stringent goals such as A1C below 8.0% for complex health.· ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes-2026, Sections 6 and 13
- Chlamydia
- No test of cure for nonpregnant patients on a recommended regimen; retest about 3 months after treatment. In pregnancy, test of cure at about 4 weeks.· CDC STI Treatment Guidelines 2021
- Gonorrhea and trichomoniasis
- Pharyngeal gonorrhea needs a test of cure 7-14 days after treatment; retest after gonorrhea and after trichomoniasis in women at about 3 months.· CDC STI Treatment Guidelines 2021
- Syphilis
- Clinical and serologic follow-up at 6 and 12 months, comparing nontreponemal titers with the titer at treatment.· CDC STI Treatment Guidelines 2021
- PID
- Expect improvement within 72 hours of outpatient therapy; otherwise hospitalize and reassess the diagnosis and regimen.· CDC STI Treatment Guidelines 2021
- Glycemic monitoring
- Check A1C at least twice a year when goals are met and about every 3 months when they are not or therapy has changed.· ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes-2026, Rec. 6.2
- Lipids and electrolytes
- Recheck lipids 4-12 weeks after starting a statin; check potassium 7-14 days after starting a diuretic; monitor eGFR and potassium with ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and MRAs.· ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes-2026, Section 10
- Hypertension not at goal
- At low PREVENT risk, start medication if blood pressure stays at or above 130/80 after 3-6 months of lifestyle change; in resistant hypertension, screen for primary aldosteronism regardless of potassium.· 2025 AHA/ACC High Blood Pressure Guideline
- Opioids and LTBI drugs
- Reassess opioid benefit and harm within 1-4 weeks of starting or escalating; hold latent TB drugs if transaminases exceed 3 times normal with symptoms or 5 times normal without.· CDC Opioid Guideline 2022, Rec. 7; CDC Treatment for Latent TB Infection
Now prove you know them
Reading an outline is not the same as recalling it under exam pressure. Drill the free AANPCB Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) questions to find the areas you keep missing, then sit a full timed mock.
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