Test-Taking Strategies: How to Conquer NP Board Exam Anxiety!

Maybe the worst thing about NP board anxiety is that it can prevent you from getting the score you deserve. Fortunately, there are things you can do to get it under control and crush it on exam day!

Our NP expert Madison Saxon Hogue, FNP-BC, FNP-C, shares her story in this video about how she overcame NP board exam anxiety to become who she is today:

Be sure to check it out if you’re looking for answers when it comes to beating test anxiety once and for all!

Madison’s Approach to Overcoming NP Board Exam Anxiety

In her video, Madison talks about some different ways you can manage your test anxiety before and during your exam. These include:

💜 Getting your NP board anxiety under control BEFORE the test
💜 Seeing if your primary care provider has any ideas
💜 Making sure you do lots of full-length practice tests
💜 Not cramming the day before your test
💜 Having a plan for handling anxiety that arises DURING the exam
💜 Taking mental breaks on test day

These are what we might call Madison’s general tips for dealing with NP board exam anxiety. Now, let’s talk about her specific recommendations for how to handle anxiety during the exam, when you’re in the trenches going from question to question.

NP Board Test-Taking Tips

In many ways, beating NP board exam anxiety comes down to knowing how to handle test questions. For example, what do you do if you don’t know the answer to a question? When, if ever, should you change an answer? It’s really important to know how to navigate these situations, and Madison shares with you some great ideas for how to handle them.

Some of her test-taking tips include:

⭐ If you don’t know the answer to a question, don’t answer it! Star it and come back to it.
⭐ Don’t spend a whole lot of time on a single question.
⭐ Use the process of elimination.
⭐ Go with your gut answer.
⭐ Don’t change an answer unless you’re SUPER sure you’re changing it to the right one.
⭐ Read the end of the question first to see what they’re looking for.

Madison wraps up with some NP practice questions that show you what to do if you get flustered during the exam. It’s very useful information that’ll help you conquer your NP board exam anxiety.

Final Thoughts

The bottom line is, whether you’re looking for general strategies to reduce test anxiety before exam day, or specific recommendations on how to handle test questions, Madison can help you.

Be sure to check out the video, so you can get a handle on your NP board exam anxiety, crush the exam, and get the score you’ve worked so hard for. And don’t forget to subscribe to the SMNP YouTube channel where you’ll find lots of great tips on how to get through NP school, crush your boards, and kickstart your NP career!

Gearing up for NP board prep soon? We’ve got you covered! Check out our Live Study Group built to manage your test anxiety and help you ace your exam (with a 99+% pass rate)! 💜