FNP-C is a medical abbreviation for the Family Nurse Practitioner Certified credential offered by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) . The FNP-C certification exam is designed to test the clinical knowledge of nurse practitioners, including assessment, diagnosis, plan, and evaluation. The FNP-C certification also includes key issues like diversity and cultural competence, polypharmacy, communication, integrative therapies, functional assessment, etc. . The FNP-C certification is often favored by those seeking to practice as clinicians.

The main difference between FNP-C and FNP-BC is the certification board that awards the credential. The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) offers the FNP-C certification, while the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) offers the FNP-BC certification. The FNP-BC certification exam has a broader focus, testing nurses on clinical care but also covering nursing policy, advanced research, and nursing theory. It is designed for nurse practitioners who want to go into teaching or who have an interest in guiding policy. Although FNP-BC-credentialed nurse practitioners tend to go into academics, they’re also eligible to practice.

In summary, FNP-C is a certification offered by the AANPCB that focuses on clinical knowledge, while FNP-BC is a certification offered by the ANCC that has a broader focus, including nursing policy, advanced research, and nursing theory.