Published by Anna Miller for Blueprint Prep Company
Education
How To
Health & Fitness
Medicine
The Real Deal Nurse Practitioner Club is the most inclusive exclusive hangout for nurse practitioners and aspiring nurse practitioners. Join your host Anna Miller, as she and her guests dive deep into what you need to know before taking your exam, passing your exam, and becoming a real deal nurse practitioner! Each week she'll cover topics such as how to pass your nurse practitioner exam the first time, overcoming test anxiety, writing your resume, negotiating contracts and honing your actual craft as a new nurse practitioner. If you are ready to become the confident clinician you know you were meant to be, then this is the podcast for you. To find out more info about NP Reviews visit us at www.npreviews.com
Medication safety questions are some of the highest-yield topics you'll encounter on your NP boards because they test whether you can recognize situations that could seriously harm a patient. In this minisode, Alex reviews three essential medication safety rules every NP student should know, including which blood pressure medications to avoid during pregnancy, a high-risk warfarin drug interaction, and why NSAIDs are contraindicated in heart failure. You'll walk away with practical board pearls that will also help you prescribe more safely in clinical practice. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/smnpreviewsofficial
Knowing when to refer and when to manage a patient yourself is one of the biggest clinical judgment skills you will build in primary care. It can also be a common source of confusion on NP boards, especially when referral feels like the safest answer. In this episode, Alex and I break down how to think through referral decisions using patient stability, red flags, scope of practice, and response to first-line treatment. We walk through primary care scenarios involving hypertension and diabetes to show why the same diagnosis may be managed in one situation and referred in another. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://blog.npreviews.com/when-to-refer-primary-care-np-boards Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/smnpreviewsofficial
Asthma treatment has changed, and understanding the latest GINA guidelines can help you earn easy points on your NP boards. In this minisode, Kaitlyn breaks down the shift away from albuterol alone, explains why inhaled corticosteroids are the foundation of asthma management, and reviews the step-up, step-down approach so you can confidently answer asthma treatment questions on exam day. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/smnpreviewsofficial
Human trafficking is a healthcare issue, and many NPs do not feel fully prepared to recognize it in clinical practice. In this episode, I'm joined by NP educator Dr. Lauren Mays to discuss recognizing human trafficking, common misconceptions, and the important role healthcare providers play in supporting vulnerable patients. We discuss how trafficking signs often show up as more of a vague "something's not quite right here" feeling and what to do when this feeling comes up. Dr. Mays also shares some examples of common symptoms, how to create privacy and safety, and why our role is not to investigate or rescue, but to provide trauma-informed, patient-centered care. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://blog.npreviews.com/recognizing-human-trafficking-lauren-mays Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/smnpreviewsofficial Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lauren-c-mays-2676781a2/
LDL is one of the most important lab values to understand for NP boards because it plays a central role in cardiovascular risk and treatment decisions. In this minisode, I review the key LDL targets to know, explain when high-intensity statins come into play, and walk you through the clinical reasoning behind common board questions so you can confidently choose the next best step in dyslipidemia management. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/smnpreviewsofficial
If you're preparing for boards and wondering whether everyone else has it more figured out than you, you are not alone. In this episode, I sit down with NP instructor Caroline G to answer some of the most common NP board prep questions we hear from students every single week. We talk through the big decisions and stress points that come up during board prep, including choosing between AANP and ANCC, when to apply, when to test, how much to study, and whether you need multiple review resources. Caroline and I also discuss practice question scores, when to start practice exams, and what to do if your study plan gets off track. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://blog.npreviews.com/top-np-board-prep-questions-answered Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/smnpreviewsofficial
INR is one of the most commonly tested lab values on NP boards, especially when warfarin is involved. In this minisode, I review normal and therapeutic INR ranges, explain what high and low values mean, and walk through the safety-focused thinking behind common exam questions, including when to adjust therapy, when vitamin K is needed, and how diet and medication changes can affect INR levels. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/smnpreviewsofficial
The future of Nurse Practitioners is changing faster than ever, creating new opportunities, new challenges, and exciting possibilities for the profession. As healthcare continues to evolve, understanding these trends can help you prepare for the career you're stepping into. In this episode, Alex and I explore the future of Nurse Practitioners and the major forces shaping healthcare today. From expanding autonomy and telehealth to artificial intelligence, personalized medicine, and NP entrepreneurship, we discuss how the profession is evolving and what these changes could mean for your future practice. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://blog.npreviews.com/future-of-nurse-practitioners-AI-autonomy Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/smnpreviewsofficial
GFR is one of the most important kidney lab values to know for NP boards because it tells you how well the kidneys are functioning and helps determine chronic kidney disease staging. In this minisode, I break down the key GFR cutoffs, explain how to think of CKD stages as a simple ladder, and review the clinical decisions that often show up on exams, including medication adjustments, kidney protection strategies, and when dialysis becomes necessary. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/smnpreviewsofficial
Diabetes can feel like one of the biggest and most overwhelming topics to study for NP boards. Between insulin types, medication classes, complications, and diagnostic criteria, it is easy to get lost in the details and spend hours studying without knowing what actually matters most. In this episode, Alex and I walk through a practical diabetes review for NP boards and focus on the highest-yield concepts you should prioritize during your prep. This is not meant to be a complete deep dive into every diabetes medication or clinical nuance. Instead, we focus on the core concepts, common board-style presentations, medication side effects, and complications most important to understand for exams. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://blog.npreviews.com/diabetes-review-for-np-boards Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/smnpreviewsofficial
Medication dosages can feel overwhelming, but for NP boards, it's all about recognizing the high-yield patterns that show up again and again. In this minisode, Kaitlyn breaks down the key dosage concepts you need to know for statins, levothyroxine, and metformin, including recognizing when a treatment is aggressive, when to start low and go slow, and how to safely adjust medications so you can approach dosage questions with more confidence on exam day. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/smnpreviewsofficial
COPD can feel overwhelming when you are trying to memorize symptoms, diagnosis criteria, and treatment strategies all at once. In this episode, Alex and I walk through a practical COPD review that covers the essentials you need to know for boards, including classic presentations, key differences between chronic bronchitis and emphysema, diagnostic spirometry cutoffs, and the GOLD treatment groups. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://blog.npreviews.com/COPD-review-for-boards Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/smnpreviewsofficial
H. pylori treatment is highly testable on NP boards, and with the right memory tricks, it can be easy points. In this minisode, I simplify triple and quadruple therapy using quick mnemonics, review key treatment adjustments for penicillin allergies, and walk through high-yield exam pearls on ulcer causes and diagnostic testing so you can confidently tackle H. pylori questions on exam day. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/smnpreviewsofficial
What do you do when you cannot use a first-line antibiotic? Knowing alternative antibiotics for NP boards is essential for answering exam questions and making safe clinical decisions. In this episode, Alex and I cover alternative antibiotics for NP boards through a rapid-fire pharmacology review. We walk through common scenarios and help you understand how to choose the best alternative when first-line options are not appropriate. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://blog.npreviews.com/alternative-antibiotics-for-np-boards Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/smnpreviewsofficial
Wondering if your practice scores are high enough to pass your NP boards? In this minisode, Kaitlyn breaks down the numbers to aim for, why they're a helpful benchmark, and why your progress and trends matter just as much. You'll learn how to interpret your scores with more clarity so you can stay focused, build confidence, and keep moving forward in your exam prep. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/smnpreviewsofficial
Trying to decide between AANP vs ANCC for your NP certification exam can feel overwhelming, especially when it seems like the "wrong" choice could impact your future. In this episode, Alex and I break down the AANP vs ANCC exams in a calm, practical way so you can choose your NP certification exam with clarity. We walk through what both exams have in common, how they differ in structure and content, and why neither exam is inherently harder than the other. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://blog.npreviews.com/aanp-vs-ancc-updated-guide Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/smnpreviewsofficial
Metronidazole is a must-know medication that is likely to show up on your NP board exams and very likely to show up in clinical practice. In this minisode, Alex walks you through high-yield uses like trichomoniasis and bacterial vaginosis, key safety points, and frequently tested concepts, so you can feel confident recognizing and answering metronidazole questions on exam day. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/smnpreviewsofficial
Feeling overwhelmed about how to pass your 3P exam? You are not alone. The 3P exam can feel high-pressure, especially when it stands between you and starting clinicals. In this episode, Alex and I explain how to pass the 3P exam by breaking down what it tests, how it differs from boards, and the most effective study strategies. We walk through common mistakes students make, practical strategies to help you succeed, and how to use practice questions effectively. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://blog.npreviews.com/how-to-pass-3P-exam Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/smnpreviewsofficial
In this minisode, Alex breaks down the 2026 ACC/AHA Dyslipidemia Guidelines, highlighting what's new and how it impacts both NP board exams and clinical practice. You'll learn the key updates, including a stronger emphasis on primary prevention, individualized care, and new diagnostic tools, while also being reassured that your current study plan is right on track. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/smnpreviewsofficial
Drug interactions do not have to feel confusing. Once the cytochrome P450 system clicks, it becomes much easier to reason through medication metabolism and pharmacology questions that nurse practitioners need to know. In this episode, Alex and I explain the cytochrome P450 system and why it matters for drug metabolism, medication interactions, and clinical decision-making. You will walk away with a clearer framework for understanding pharmacology concepts that nurse practitioners need to know for both exams and real-world prescribing decisions. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://blog.npreviews.com/cytochrome-p450-system Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/smnpreviewsofficial
