Gerontological nurse
practitioners specialize in caring for an aging population.
Geriatric, or more accurately, Gerontological Nurse Practitioners (GNPs) are licensed, registered advanced practice nurses who hold a master's or post-master's degree with special emphasis on the social, psychological and biological aspects of aging. To be eligible for certification, the degree must be earned in a program accepted by one of the national certification boards.
Certifying Bodies
Only two organizations offer GNP certification: the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), which awards the credential "NP-C" (Nurse Practitioner-Certified), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), which awards the credential "GNP-BC" (Gerontological Nurse Practitioner -- Board Certified). Both ANCC and AANP accept online applications; both offer computer-based exams, and both require recertification every five years. To help you prepare for the certification exam, the ANCC offers a catalog of exam resources on its website (nursecredentialing.org).
Eligibility for Certification
Before you can even apply to write a certification exam you must be an active, currently licensed RN. You must also hold master's or higher degree from an accredited GNP program that includes advanced coursework in pharmacology, health assessment and pathophysiology, and studies in differential diagnosis, disease management and prevention, and health promotion. You'll also be required to show that you've completed at least 500 hours of faculty-supervised gerontological clinical practice.
Applying for Certification
In addition to the completed application form and full payment ($200 to $400), you must submit a copy of your RN license; complete information and official transcripts for your GNP academic program, and details of your clinical experience including the mailing address, area of specialty and your preceptor's full name and credentials. Once you've been accepted, you'll choose a testing date and location and will have a 90-day (ANCC) or 120-day (AANP) window within which you must complete the exam.
The Certification Exams
Both ANCC and AANP offer computer-based, multiple-choice exams that take three to four hours to complete. The tests are comprehensive examinations that cover the types of patients and problems an entry-level NP might see during a year of practice. Your critical thinking skills and the depth of your knowledge will be thoroughly probed. The exams also include a few questions on topics like ethics, scope of practice, reimbursement and so on. ANCC exam results are available at the testing center on the day of the exam. For the AANP exam, a preliminary "pass/fail" result will appear on the computer screen after the test. Actual test scores are mailed out three to four weeks later.
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