ANCC AGACNP-BC Certification Sample Questions

The ANCC Adult-Gerontology ACUTE Care Nurse Practitioner Certification Certification Sample Question Set on this page is designed to familiarize you with the actual ANCC AGACNP-BC exam format and question types. These sample questions help you understand how questions are structured and what to expect on test day. While they provide a useful starting point, they represent only a limited preview of the real exam experience.

These sample questions are intended for evaluation and familiarization only. To understand exam style, pacing, and reasoning patterns more clearly, we recommend trying our online sample practice environment. If you are preparing for the ANCC Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner-Board Certified (AGACNP-BC) and want to assess your readiness more rigorously, structured, timed, scenario-based practice is recommended. This approach aligns with the cognitive demands and professional expectations typically associated with Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioners, Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, Acute Care Nurse Practitioners and related roles working in settings such as Acute care hospitals, Intensive and critical care units, Specialty inpatient services and related settings.

Try Sample Exam »    |    Access Full ANCC AGACNP-BC Practice Exam »

The demo introduces core concepts, while full-length premium simulations provide deeper, scenario-based coverage that more closely reflects the actual cognitive demands of the ANCC Adult-Gerontology ACUTE Care Nurse Practitioner Certification exam, particularly in areas such as Acute and critical care clinical management, Diagnostic reasoning and clinical decision-making, Pharmacologic and therapeutic management. You can use these sample questions as a starting point, then progress to the ANCC AGACNP-BC Certification Practice Exam for stronger readiness. Our premium simulations are designed to mirror real exam conditions, helping you refine reasoning, pacing, and decision-making before your official exam attempt.

ANCC AGACNP-BC Sample Questions:

01. A 40-year-old female patient with no previous medical history is admitted with bilateral pulmonary emboli. The workup reveals a positive result for lupus anticoagulant, and anticoagulant therapy is planned. The patient verbalizes concern about her ability to manage the appointments and the follow-up care.
The adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner's most effective intervention is to:
a) engage in active listening and reassure the patient that she will be able to manage her own care.
b) arrange follow-up appointments for the patient at the warfarin sodium (Coumadin) clinic and with the primary care provider after discharge.
c) reassure the patient that Coumadin therapy is quite manageable and requires infrequent follow-up visits.
d) reinforce to the patient that typically patients with a positive lupus anticoagulant only need Coumadin therapy for six months.

02. A patient has fully recovered from septic shock due to bacteremia. The patient has been accepted to a long-term acute care facility for continuation of antibiotic therapy. The infectious disease physician has not seen the patient in two days. The adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner:
a) contacts the physician to determine the appropriate duration of antibiotic therapy.
b) notifies medical staff services that the physician has not seen the patient.
c) waits for the physician to come see the patient.
d) writes transfer orders for the patient.

03. A patient with a history of heart failure arrives at the emergency department (ED) exhibiting shortness of breath and lower extremity swelling. Both of the patient’s symptoms are a result of:
a) a decrease in plasma oncotic pressure.
b) an increase in capillary hydrostatic pressure.
c) an increase in capillary membrane permeability.
d) an obstruction of lymphatic drainage.

04. A young female patient arrives at the emergency department (ED) with vaginal discharge. After performing a pelvic examination, the adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner documents which abnormal finding?
a) Cervical motion tenderness.
b) Pink vaginal mucosa
c) Positive bowel sounds.
d) Positive rectal tone.

05. Based on the individual's culture, ethnicity, and personal choices, the adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner can optimize the therapeutic partnership with the patient by:
a) assuming most patients want to rely on family members or care providers to make treatment decisions.
b) communicating with the patient using minimal-to-no medical terminology.
c) developing the patient’s communication skills to a more advanced level.
d) tailoring their communication style to the patient’s preference.

06. A 15-year-old patient with type 1 diabetes reports elevated blood glucose levels in the morning. The adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner determines that the patient's hyperglycemia is due to the dawn phenomenon and:
a) increases the insulin dosage at bedtime.
b) reduces the insulin dosage at bedtime.
c) tests the blood glucose level at 3:00 AM daily.
d) tests the blood glucose level in the evening.

07. A 68-year-old patient had surgery three days ago to repair an abdominal aortic aneurysm. The patient remains intubated, is neurologically intact, and has active bowel sounds. The patient's liver function is within normal limits and the patient has no signs or symptoms of heart failure.
The patient's laboratory values are:
- blood urea nitrogen of 12 mg/dL
- creatinine of 0.8 mg/dL
- PaCO2 of 37 mmHg.
The preferred form of nutritional support for this patient is:
a) enteral feeding to the stomach via a gastrostomy tube.
b) peripheral parenteral nutrition via an 18-gauge IV catheter.
c) total parenteral nutrition via a central venous line.
d) enteral feeding to the duodenum via a nasogastric small-bore tube.

08. A patient who has been in the intensive care unit for 17 days develops hypernatremic hyperosmolality. The patient weighs 132 lb (59.9 kg), is intubated, and is receiving mechanical ventilation. The serum osmolality is 320 mOsm/L kg H2O. Clinical signs include tachycardia and hypotension.
The adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner's initial treatment is to:
a) reduce serum osmolality by infusing a 5% dextrose in 0.2% sodium chloride solution.
b) reduce serum sodium concentration by infusing a 0.45% sodium chloride solution.
c) replenish volume by infusing a 0.9% sodium chloride solution.
d) replenish volume by infusing a 5% dextrose in water solution.

09. A root cause analysis of a crisis situation on the intensive care unit identifies a lack of clinician-family communication as the basis for the resulting adverse outcome. As part of the performance improvement plan, the adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner is asked to develop evidence-based policies to establish clinician-family communication standards on the unit.
These policies should include:
a) an evaluation tool to assess the healthcare surrogate's decision-making ability and anxiety level.
b) guidelines for having discussions with family members that are geared toward establishing treatment goals.
c) limits on the number of consulting services utilized to prevent sending mixed messages.
d) requirements for a formal family conference within 12 hours of a patient's admission to the intensive care unit.

10. An 80-year-old patient has macular degeneration and is seen on the surgical unit for postoperative care after repair of a hip fracture. To prepare the patient for discharge, the adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner:
a) gives the patient illustrative pictures that instruct them on body alignment during activity.
b) has the patient watch a video about surgeries and preoperative care for hip fractures.
c) provides verbal reinforcement to the patient on how to keep proper body alignment following hip surgery.
d) provides the patient with an audio tape for care of hip fractures and range-of-motion activities.

Answers:

For full-length, timed, scenario-based practice aligned with the official exam framework - and to build pacing, consistency, and confidence - explore our Premium ANCC AGACNP-BC Certification Practice Exam.

Note: These sample questions are not official exam questions and are intended only for familiarization and study purposes. If you find any typos or data entry errors in these ANCC Adult-Gerontology ACUTE Care Nurse Practitioner Certification (AGACNP-BC) sample questions, please let us know by emailing us at feedback@medicoexam.com