Sarah Michelle NP Reviews (SMNP)
Nurse Practitioner Blog
At SMNP Reviews, we believe in empowering our NP community with the knowledge and skills they need to become successful, confident nurse practitioners. That’s why we’ve created this blog to provide you with all the resources you need to stay up to date with the latest and greatest information to help you excel in your career. Our goal is to make your lives easier by creating a hub where you can find, explore, and delve into the plethora of resources we offer.
The Live Study Group Just Got a Major Glow-Up (Say Hello to the Flex Upgrade!)
If you’re prepping for your NP boards while working, juggling clinicals, running a household, staying caffeinated, and trying to remember the last time you slept eight hours…hi, welcome. You’re our people! We’ve been working on something BIG that’s going to make your NP board prep even easier to fit into real life. Introducing the Flex
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The FNP Pass Rate Is Rebounding. Here’s What This Means for First-Time Test Takers in 2026
If you’re preparing for the FNP certification exam, chances are you’ve come across at least one alarming headline, forum post, or group chat message about the FNP pass rate. Maybe you’ve heard that the exam has gotten more difficult. Maybe someone mentioned the drop in pass rates a few years ago. Maybe you’ve caught yourself
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Ep #158: What I Wish I Knew: Lessons from Experienced NPs
Hear lessons learned from experienced NPs, from boards to boundaries and burnout.
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What Are the Highest-Paying NP Specialties?
One of the most common questions asked by NP students and early-career nurse practitioners is “What are the highest-paying NP specialties?” Compensation absolutely matters, but higher salaries do come with trade-offs. Higher acuity patients, demanding schedules, emotional strain, and long-term burnout risk often explain why certain NP roles pay more. Below is a realistic breakdown
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NP Resume Examples: From New Grad to Experienced NP
If you’re in the NP job market right now, you may be wondering what you need to type at that blinking cursor to convince employers you are the person they should hire. To give you a leg up on the competition, we’re going to share some NP resume examples with key criteria to include depending
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Ep #157: The Primary Care Screening Guidelines You Must Know to Pass Your NP Boards
Get a clear overview of the primary care screening guidelines you must know to pass your nurse practitioner boards.
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All About Incident To Billing Guidelines for Nurse Practitioners (2026 Update)
Billing and coding is essential to getting paid for the care you provide, but it can also be a confusing and tedious process—especially for new NPs! In particular, incident to billing can seem a little puzzling. And while the core rules haven’t changed much, CMS has issued important clarifications and updates to the incident to
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PMHNP Salary Breakdown & Future Trends
Thinking about becoming a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)? You’re not alone—and for good reason. As mental health needs surge across the country, PMHNPs are stepping up in a big way. The demand is high, opportunities are growing, and the average PMHNP salary is among the highest-paying NP specialties. Whether you’re currently a nurse exploring
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Ep #156: Hypertension Guidelines for NP Boards: What Matters for the Exam vs Practice
Get a clear breakdown of hypertension guidelines and understand what matters in nurse practitioner boards vs clinical practice.
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6 Future Trends for Nurse Practitioners
Medicine and how we care for patients is constantly changing and evolving. How we learned to treat diseases and conditions 10–20 years ago is not how we treat them now. Imagine what the next decade or two will bring! So, what does the future look like for NPs? 🔮 While we aren’t fortune tellers here
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Ep #155: Rest, Reset, and Refocus: A Holiday Mindset for Nurse Practitioners
Discover a holiday mindset for nurse practitioners focused on rest, reflection, and setting realistic goals without guilt.
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What are the Benefits of Being a Nurse Practitioner?
You may be wondering if becoming an NP is a good fit for you. Here are 7 benefits of being a nurse practitioner! Learn more.
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Ep #154: Difficult Diagnoses: A Case Study in Critical Thinking with Courtney H
Courtney and I explore a challenging case study, teaching nurse practitioners how to navigate difficult diagnoses via critical thinking.
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ANCC vs AANP: Which NP Certification Exam Should You Take?
One of the topics we hear students talking about is deciding which certification exam to take: either the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) exam or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) exam. But what are the actual differences between the ANCC vs AANP? And what do you need to know so you can make
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Ep #153: NP Exam Pharmacology Lightning Session with Courtney H
Courtney and I present a rapid-fire pharmacology Q&A session that mirrors the fast-paced nature of the actual nurse practitioner exam.
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How to Choose the Perfect NP Board Review Option for You
It’s no secret that prepping for board exams is daunting for most NP students, but what about finding your prep materials? This Black Friday, you may be surprised that one of the hardest parts of board prep is figuring out what to study and which resources to use! With so many review options out there,
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