Wondering What Nursing School Books to Review for the AANP FNP Exam?
If you’re deep into studying for the AANP Family Nurse Practitioner certification exam, you’re probably asking yourself: “Do I really need to dust off my nursing school textbooks?”
The short answer: Yes—but only the right ones. Let me explain.
Many students don’t realize is that the AANPCB (the group behind the AANP exam) actually publishes a reference list—yes, a literal list of the textbooks they use to verify their exam questions. So, if you’ve ever wondered whether those stacks of books from school are still useful… they absolutely are.
So Which Books Should You Keep from Nursing School?
You don’t need to hang onto everything. But here are three books that show up on the AANP reference list and are super common in nurse practitioner programs:
📘 Seidel’s Guide to Physical Examination (Ball et al., 10th ed.)
This book teaches you how to examine the human body—head to toe—and interpret what you find. It’s gold for both assessment review and remembering how to document findings like a provider. You’ll definitely see content like this on the FNP exam.
📗 Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Practice: A Practical Approach (Arcangelo et al., 5th ed.)
Pharmacology is a BIG part of the exam, especially when it comes to first-line treatments and prescribing practices. This book doesn’t just tell you what drugs are out there—it shows you how to use them as an NP. If you’ve got this on your shelf, keep it close!
📙 Primary Care: Interprofessional Collaborative Practice (Buttaro et al., 7th ed.)
This one is a big hitter. It covers all the bread-and-butter conditions in family practice—diabetes, hypertension, asthma, depression—and walks you through the diagnostic and treatment process in a real-world way. It’s cited directly in the AANP reference list, and if you’re using our practice questions, you’ll see the overlap.
So…Where Can You Find the AANP FNP Reference List?
The official AANPCB AGNP and FNP Certification Examination Reference List is posted right on the AANPCB website. It’s updated regularly (2024 is the current version) and includes every single book they use to back up their test questions. Here’s how to find it:
- Go to www.aanpcert.org
- Click on “Certifications” > “Family Nurse Practitioner”
- Scroll down to find the Reference List PDF under the Exam Resources section.
Or just Google:
“2024 AANP FNP reference list site:aanpcert.org” — it’ll pop right up.
Bottom Line?
If you’ve already got any of the books on the list, especially the three above, don’t get rid of them. They were chosen for a reason, and the AANP exam writers use them as proof that each question is legit.
And if you’re ready to go beyond reading and start practicing like it’s test day, come work through our practice questions on PractitionerExam.com. We follow the AANP’s blueprint and base our questions on the same references they do—so you’re not just guessing… you’re preparing with purpose.