Nursing
ANCC AGACNP-BCAdult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
The ANCC AGACNP-BC certifies nurse practitioners who manage acutely, critically, and chronically critically ill adult-gerontology patients — the hospital-based, inpatient, ICU, and ED-admitted population. Issued by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, it is one of the two primary acute-care NP credentials (alongside AACN's ACNPC-AG) and is distinct from the AGPCNP primary-care credential. Content is organized into three domains aligned to acute-care NP practice.
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Exam facts
Everything you need to know about the ANCC AGACNP-BC exam.
- Passing score
- 350 / 500 (scaled)
- Format & length
- 175 questions (150 scored + 25 pretest) · 3.5 hours
- Voucher cost
- $295 ANA members / $340 AANP members / $395 non-members
- Prerequisites
- Active US RN license + MSN, post-graduate certificate, or DNP from a CCNE-, ACEN-, or CNEA-accredited AGACNP program (minimum 500 supervised clinical hours + APRN core: advanced patho, assessment, pharmacology)
- Validity
- 5 years (renew via continuing-education and practice-hour requirements)
Exam facts sourced from the official ANCC (American Nurses Credentialing Center) certification page. Last reviewed June 2026.
What’s tested
Key topics on the ANCC AGACNP-BC® exam.
The Cert Climb question bank is mapped to every domain on the official ANCC AGACNP-BC® exam blueprint, so what you study is what the test asks.
- Clinical Judgment
- Clinical Practice (acute, critical & chronically critically ill adult-gerontology populations)
- Professional Role
Who it’s for
Built for the people taking this exam.
AGACNP program graduates pursuing initial certification for inpatient, ICU, ED, hospitalist, surgical, and specialty-service NP roles. The credential matched to the AGACNP educational scope rather than primary-care NP graduates moving into hospital work.
Why it matters in 2026
The career signal.
Hospitalist, intensivist, and procedural-service NP roles increasingly specify acute-care certification (AGACNP-BC or ACNPC-AG) in job postings, and state boards are tightening enforcement of population-focus alignment between certification and inpatient practice. AGACNP-BC is the most-cited acute-care NP credential in US hospital job postings.
Sample question
What a ANCC AGACNP-BC question looks like.
A 55-year-old man with a long-standing alcohol use disorder presents to the emergency department disoriented and unable to walk steadily. Which laboratory test should be obtained first?
See the answer & explanation
Correct: C. Serum thiamine level
Why: Checking the serum thiamine level is the top priority. Disorientation paired with gait instability in a patient with alcohol use disorder is the classic triad pointing to Wernicke's encephalopathy, which develops from thiamine deficiency. Identifying and rapidly correcting this deficiency with thiamine replacement is essential to prevent permanent neurological injury. Low magnesium is also common in alcohol use disorder but does not account for these specific neurological findings. Brain MRI may eventually show changes consistent with Wernicke's but is not required to initiate treatment. The serum alcohol level reflects acute intoxication rather than the underlying nutritional deficiency driving these symptoms.
What you get
Everything you need to actually pass.
Full question bank
500 questions covering every objective on the official ANCC AGACNP-BC® exam blueprint, with detailed explanations on every option — right and wrong.
Quiz modes
Timed exam simulation, missed-only review, topic drills, and a daily question of the day. Practice the way you study best.
Flashcards
Spaced-repetition flashcards generated from each topic. Pull them up on a phone in the gap between meetings.
Progress tracking
See per-topic accuracy and answered counts. Find weak areas before they cost you on test day.
Per-category premium
Unlocking ANCC AGACNP-BC® unlocks every other Nursing exam in the Cert Climb catalog — pay once, stack credentials.
No-fluff explanations
Every wrong answer comes with a 2-3 sentence explanation of why it’s wrong, not just “the correct answer is X.” Pattern recognition is the whole game.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about ANCC AGACNP-BC
What is the ANCC AGACNP-BC exam?
The ANCC AGACNP-BC certifies nurse practitioners who manage acutely, critically, and chronically critically ill adult-gerontology patients — the hospital-based, inpatient, ICU, and ED-admitted population. Issued by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, it is one of the two primary acute-care NP credentials (alongside AACN's ACNPC-AG) and is distinct from the AGPCNP primary-care credential.
How many questions are on the ANCC AGACNP-BC exam, and how long is it?
175 questions (150 scored + 25 pretest) · 3.5 hours
What is the passing score for the ANCC AGACNP-BC exam?
350 / 500 (scaled)
How much does the ANCC AGACNP-BC exam cost?
$295 ANA members / $340 AANP members / $395 non-members
Are there prerequisites for the ANCC AGACNP-BC exam?
Active US RN license + MSN, post-graduate certificate, or DNP from a CCNE-, ACEN-, or CNEA-accredited AGACNP program (minimum 500 supervised clinical hours + APRN core: advanced patho, assessment, pharmacology)
How long is the ANCC AGACNP-BC certification valid?
5 years (renew via continuing-education and practice-hour requirements)
How many questions does the ANCC AGACNP-BC bank have?
500 questions, organized into 3 subject areas mapped to the official exam objectives.
Is the free trial really free?
Yes. 30 questions, no credit card, no email-trap, no “activate by Friday or pay” spam. You either upgrade because the bank’s good, or you don’t.
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Premium is sold per category and unlocks every Nursing exam in the Cert Climb catalog. Plans are 1-month, 3-month, or 12-month — see the upgrade modal for current pricing.
How current is the ANCC AGACNP-BC® content?
We track exam version updates and refresh the bank within weeks of new objectives. Where the version of an exam matters (e.g. CompTIA SY0-701 vs. SY0-601), question explanations call it out.
Can I cancel my subscription anytime?
Yes. Cancellation is one click from your profile. Your access continues through the end of the period you’ve already paid for.
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