Mnemonics — Free AANP Memory Aids
On the AANP exam, mnemonics are quietly load-bearing — when a vignette asks for adolescent screening or cyanotic congenital heart defects, you want a structured recall key, not a free-form list. We built this reference to surface every clinical mnemonic the boards actually test, with what each letter stands for and the clinical context behind it.
How to use it: search by acronym or topic, or scroll by clinical system. Each entry links to a detail page with letter breakdown, clinical context, and a sample AANP-style question. For practice in question form, the full NPBoardSlay question bank has 1,500+ rationales — free trial, no card.
Other free references: Lab Values · Drug Classes · Drugs.
Endocrine(2)
Infectious (STIs)(1)
Professional & Clinical Role(10)
5 Rights
Medication Administration Rights
Five checks before every dose — no shortcuts.
5 S's
Infant Soothing Techniques
Dr. Karp's calming method — replicates in-utero sensations.
ABCDE
Primary Survey — Trauma & ACLS
Work top-down — airway kills first.
APGAR
Newborn Assessment at 1 and 5 Minutes
Score 0/1/2 each; <7 at 5 min = reassess at 10, 15, 20 min.
FLACC
Non-Verbal Pain Assessment
Five behaviors × 0/1/2 = 0-10 pain score for patients who can't self-report.
OPQRST
Pain Assessment
Six questions that turn "it hurts" into a useful history.
SAMPLE
Focused History for Acute Presentations
The rapid-fire history for triage and pre-procedure workups.
SBAR
Clinical Handoff Communication
The structured handoff that doesn''t forget anything.
SMART
Goal Setting for Patient Plans
Vague goals fail. Make every plan SMART.
SOAP
Progress Note Format
The note-writing template since the 1960s — and still the standard.
Cardiovascular(8)
5 T's
Cyanotic Congenital Heart Defects
Five T's = babies turn blue.
6 P's
Acute Limb Ischemia
Cold, pale, pulseless = OR within 6 hours.
CHA₂DS₂-VASc
Stroke Risk in Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation
Score the bleed-stroke tradeoff. Males ≥2 or females ≥3 → anticoagulate.
HAS-BLED
Bleeding Risk on Anticoagulation
≥3 = high risk. Don''t skip anticoag — fix the modifiable factors.
MR. PASS MVP
Systolic Murmurs
What you hear between S1 and S2 — the pressure-gradient murmurs.
MS ARD
Diastolic Murmurs
What you hear between S2 and S1 — always pathologic until proven otherwise.
SAD
Aortic Stenosis Classic Triad
Three symptoms — each signals worse prognosis than the last.
Wells Score (DVT)
DVT Pretest Probability (Wells Score)
≤0 unlikely (D-dimer rules out) · ≥2 likely (ultrasound first).
Neurological(8)
ABCD²
TIA Stroke Risk (ABCD² Score)
0-3 low · 4-5 moderate · 6-7 high risk of stroke within 2 days.
AEIOU-TIPS
Causes of Altered Mental Status
10 categories to work through when the patient is confused.
BE FAST
Stroke Recognition (Extended)
FAST misses posterior strokes — BE FAST catches them.
CAM
Delirium Diagnosis (Confusion Assessment Method)
(1 AND 2) AND (3 OR 4) → delirium.
FAST
Stroke Recognition
Time is brain. 🧠 Every minute lost = 1.9 million neurons.
Mini-Cog
Brief Cognitive Screen (Geriatric)
<3 → possible impairment; proceed to MoCA or full dementia workup.
POUND
Migraine Diagnostic Criteria
4 of 5 → migraine highly likely (LR+ ~24).
SNOOP
Headache Red Flags (Secondary Headache Screen)
Any red flag → imaging or workup before calling it primary.
Integumentary(1)
Reproductive (M/F)(4)
ACHES
OCP Warning Signs (Stop Taking!)
Any one of these → stop the pill, call the office, consider ED.
GTPAL
Obstetric History Shorthand
Five numbers tell the whole story of a pregnancy history.
HELLP
HELLP Syndrome (Severe Preeclampsia Variant)
An obstetric emergency — delivery is often the cure.
PAINS
IUD Warning Signs
Call the office for any of these IUD red flags.
Gastrointestinal(1)
Psych/Mental Health(7)
CAGE
Alcohol Use Disorder Screening
Four blunt questions — 2+ yes flags a problem.
CIWA-Ar
Alcohol Withdrawal Severity
<10 mild · 10-18 moderate · ≥19 severe. Protocols typically dose at ≥8-10.
CRAFFT
Adolescent Substance Use Screen
≥2 yes → further assessment; brief intervention and referral if indicated.
DIG FAST
Manic Episode Criteria (DSM-5)
3 of 7 symptoms + elevated mood for a week = mania.
HEADSS
Adolescent Psychosocial Assessment
The teen-visit script — start benign, end intimate.
SAD PERSONS
Suicide Risk Assessment
0-4 low · 5-6 consider admit · 7-10 strongly consider involuntary admit.
SIG E CAPS
Major Depressive Disorder Criteria (DSM-5)
5 of 9 symptoms for 2+ weeks — the DSM-5 depression shorthand.
Eyes, Ears, Nose, Throat(2)
Respiratory(5)
CURB-65
Pneumonia Severity (CAP)
One point each. 0-1 home · 2 admit · 3+ think ICU.
GOLD ABE
COPD Group Assessment (GOLD 2023)
A = mild · B = symptomatic · E = exacerbator. Groups drive pharmacotherapy.
Light's Criteria
Pleural Effusion — Exudate vs. Transudate
Any ONE criterion met → exudate. None met → transudate.
RIPE
First-Line Anti-Tuberculosis Drugs
Four drugs, four signature side effects — red tears, numb feet, gout, vision loss.
STOP-BANG
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Screen
≥3 yes → likely OSA — refer for sleep study.