Hints on the exam

I've had a few people ask me how I studied for my exam.  I'm more than happy to share my tips, but please remember that we all test differently.

1.  As the school year went along, I tossed all my notes into a box.  I spent four weeks going through that box, pulling out the articles/info I thought was interesting and would be good once I'm in practice.  All that went into a binder separated by system.

2.  I rewrote the cheat sheet I had created to study for the ID section of pharm.  This was very handy for me.

3.  I read through (yes all of it) my Philly Guide.  I spent a lot of time on the ID and toxicology sections.  This is not a book most people seem to have heard of, I suppose you could substitute your Harriet Lane for it if you don't want to spend the $42.

4.  I did the PNCB's exam prep, the health promotion module.  It was $50 and truthfully, I didn't find it helpful content wise, but it was REALLY helpful in getting an idea on how they write their questions.

Another option, that I didn't use is the Mosby Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Review.  It's not cheap, and it covers both the ANCC and PNCB exam which means there is going to be primary care info in there that acute care NPs don't need.  If you search for it online, look for the faculty site.  It will let you look through two of the sections and includes practice questions in the section.

Hope this helps.