Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (A-GNP)

The A-GNP certification examination is an entry-level competency-based examination that tests clinical knowledge of young adults (including adolescents and emancipated minors), adults, elderly, and frail elderly.

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 questions developed during the process of Item Writing. 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.

A-GNP EXAMINATION BLUEPRINT

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

A-GNP DOMAIN 01 - ASSESS
Task 0101: Obtain and document subjective patient information including but not limited to relevant medical history (e.g., social, economic, environmental, family, military, travel, occupational, and health promotion/ protection), chief complaint, history of present illness, and review of systems to determine health needs and problems by:

• Interviewing patient/family/appropriate others
• Reviewing records
• Identifying health and medical risk factors
• Evaluating caregiver competence as appropriate

Task 0102: Obtain and document objective information based on patient age, health history, comorbidities to further define health needs and problems by:

• Performing physical examinations
• Ordering/performing/supervising diagnostic tests and procedures
• Ordering/performing/supervising screening tests

A-GNP DOMAIN 02 - DIAGNOSE
Task 0201: Formulate differential diagnoses by:

• Synthesizing and analyzing subjective/objective information
• Prioritizing potential differential diagnoses
• Differentiating between normal and abnormal changes associated with development and aging

Task 0202: Establish definitive diagnoses by:

• Ordering, performing, and interpreting additional diagnostic test
• Performing and interpreting additional physical examinations
• Synthesizing and analyzing additional information

A-GNP DOMAIN 03 - PLAN
Task 0301: Establish an age appropriate, patient centered, culturally sensitive, cost-effective plan of care to address the diagnoses by:

• Ordering, performing, supervising, and interpreting further tests
• Prescribing/ordering/administering pharmacological therapies
• Prescribing/ordering/administering non-pharmacological therapies
• Providing relevant education
• Coaching the patient and caregiver
• Making referrals to and consultations with other health professionals and community resources
• Providing for appropriate follow-up
• Including patient/family/appropriate others as active participants
• Utilizing evidence-based criteria (for example, Quality, safety, and outcomes)
• Considering co-morbidities
• Encouraging advance care planning
• Serving as a patient and family advocate
• Managing transitions between health care settings

A-GNP DOMAIN 04 - EVALUATE
Task 0401: Determine the effectiveness of plan of treatment/care based on outcomes by:

• Reviewing patient responses(s)
• Collecting additional subjective/objective information as needed

Task 0402: Modify the plan of treatment/care based on outcomes by:

• Ordering, conducting, supervising, and interpreting further tests
• Adjusting therapies
• Providing additional education
• Making appropriate referrals/consultations
• Providing for appropriate ongoing follow-up
• Including patient/Family/appropriate others as active participants

A-GNP KNOWLEDGE AREAS

• Health promotion, disease prevention, and anticipatory guidance
• Anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology
• Therapeutic communication
• Health history
• Signs and symptoms
• Physical examination
• Diagnostic and therapeutic tests and /or procedures
• Clinical decision-making
• Differential diagnosis
• Pharmacological therapies
• Polypharmacy
• Non-pharmacological /complementary/alternative therapies
• Bio-psychosocial principles /theories
• Patient, Family, and caregiver education and counseling
• Community resources
• Evidence-based practice
• Legal and ethical issues
• Ethno-cultural and spiritual competence
• Principles of epidemiology
• Health literacy
• Principles of risk management
• Palliative and end of life care

A-GNP PROCEDURES