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.
How Hard Is It to Become a Nurse Practitioner? What the Journey Really Looks Like
If you’re an RN or nursing student thinking about becoming a nurse practitioner, you’ve probably heard some different stories about what it’s like to get there. Some will say becoming an NP is the smartest move in nursing because you’ll have more autonomy, better pay, and deeper patient relationships. Others will say it’s a grind
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Ep #175: Test Your Musculoskeletal Knowledge: An NP Boards Lightning Round
Test your musculoskeletal knowledge with rapid-fire NP boards questions covering high-yield diagnoses, treatments, tests, and red flags.
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What Makes a Good Nurse Practitioner? Here’s 5 Hidden Things That Matter
What makes a good nurse practitioner stand out? Well, if you search “nurse practitioner skills,” you’ll find plenty of lists covering the essentials: advanced health assessment, differential diagnosis, pharmacology, procedural competence, communication, and empathy. These are the foundations and they’re non-negotiable. You can’t be a good nurse practitioner without them! But if you’ve ever worked
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Ep #174: Anticoagulants vs Antiplatelets: What NP Students Need to Know with Kara D
Learn the key differences between anticoagulants vs antiplatelets and how to apply them to common pharmacology and board-style scenarios.
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From Full-Time ER Nurse to Certified FNP: An SMNP Reviews Success Story
Preparing for NP boards can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re balancing NP school, a full-time nursing job, and everything that comes after graduation. Hear from Jacquelyn, a new real-deal Family Nurse Practitioner, as she shares how SMNP Reviews helped her build the confidence and knowledge she needed to pass the AANP exam on her first
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ANCC vs AANPCB: 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 Certification Board (AANPCB) exam. But what are the actual differences between the ANCC vs AANPCB? And what do you need to know so you
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Ep #173: How to Land Your First NP Job: What Employers Are Actually Looking For
Hear what employers actually look for in new grads and how to land your first NP job with more confidence and preparation.
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Analyzing Your AANPCB or ANCC Score Report After a Failed Exam
At SMNP Reviews, we don’t like to talk about failing the NP board certification exam, but sometimes it happens! There are a few reasons: test anxiety, didn’t complete enough NP practice questions, or didn’t have a good grasp on knowledge in certain content areas. Whatever the reason, let this post help get you back into
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A Complete SOAP Note Example for Nurse Practitioner Students
If you’re in the thick of clinical rotations right now, you’ve probably heard the acronym “SOAP” more times than you can count. And, you probably also had a moment of staring at a blank note template thinking, “Okay, but what actually goes where?” If this sounds familiar, don’t worry. To help you successfully navigate rotations,
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Ep #172: How Do You Know You’re Actually Ready for NP Boards?
Hear how to know when you’re ready for NP boards and why preparation, not nerves or an arbitrary timeline, should guide your decision.
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Nurse Practitioner Fellowship Programs: Is This Path For You?
You’re applying to jobs, crushing interviews, and waiting to get that dream job offer. But then a classmate mentions they’re doing a “fellowship” instead, and suddenly you’re wondering if you missed a memo. Should you have applied to one of these nurse practitioner fellowship programs too? Is a fellowship the “right” way to start your
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How to Impress Your Nurse Practitioner Preceptor During Rotations
You’ve probably already heard the standard advice for NP clinical rotations from your faculty and peers: show up early, don’t be on your phone, ask good questions, send a thank-you note to your nurse practitioner preceptor. (All are true, and all are important, by the way.) Here’s the thing. Your clinical preceptor can be one
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Ep #171: ANCC FNP Exam Updates: What’s Changing & What’s Not
Hear a breakdown of the ANCC FNP exam updates and why you do not need to completely change your study plan.
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Starting Salary for Nurse Practitioners: How Your Earnings Grow Throughout Your Career
Every NP student and new grad asks the same question at some point in their NP journey: What am I actually going to make as an NP, and will it improve over time? The short answer is that yes, your salary will probably increase over the course of your career! But this doesn’t happen automatically,
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Nurse Practitioner Taxonomy Code 101: The Ultimate Guide for New NPs
If you’re gearing up to start your first NP job, there’s a good chance you’ve bumped into the term “taxonomy code” somewhere in the credentialing paperwork and thought, what is this and why did no one explain it in school? Although it’s rarely covered in NP programs, it’s important to understand what a nurse practitioner
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Ep #170: When to Refer vs When to Manage: A Primary Care Guide for NP Boards
Learn when to refer and when to manage patients in primary care with practical clinical judgment strategies for NP boards.
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