10 exam-style questions with answers and explanations, straight from our 1,030-question bank. Tap an answer to check yourself. When you're ready, take the scored version in the free practice test.
The DCNP exam has 175 questions and runs 4 hours.
These 10 free DCNP questions are organized by exam domain, so you can see how each part of the Dermatology Certified Nurse Practitioner blueprint is tested. Reveal the answer and explanation under each question.
During a skin examination, a 49-year-old points out a 5-mm pigmented lesion on the upper back that has enlarged and developed an irregular black focus over four months. The entire lesion can be removed without difficulty. To preserve the information needed for melanoma microstaging, which biopsy approach is preferred?
Correct answer: C - Remove the entire lesion at full thickness with a narrow 1- to 3-mm clinical margin.
An electrician with psoriasis affecting only 2% of body surface area reports 50 minutes of morning stiffness and pain at the Achilles insertion. One toe is swollen along its entire length, and several fingernails are pitted. Rheumatoid factor is negative. Taken together, these findings most strongly suggest:
Correct answer: D - Psoriatic arthritis with enthesitis and dactylitis
Two biopsies are planned for a 77-year-old with intense pruritus, urticarial plaques, and new tense bullae. One specimen will undergo routine histology and the other direct immunofluorescence (DIF). Which collection plan best preserves the diagnostic yield of both tests?
Correct answer: B - Blister edge in formalin for histology; adjacent intact skin in immunofluorescence transport medium for DIF.
At 35 weeks of a first pregnancy, intensely pruritic papules appear within abdominal striae and merge into plaques extending onto the proximal thighs. The umbilicus is spared. There are no bullae, mucosal lesions, or primary lesions on the palms and soles. Which pregnancy-associated eruption best fits this distribution?
Correct answer: C - Polymorphic eruption of pregnancy
Across both axillae and the groin, an examination for hidradenitis suppurativa identifies five inflammatory nodules, two abscesses, and one actively draining tunnel. There is scarring, but involved areas are separated by normal skin; no region has diffuse interconnected tunnels. How should the structural stage and current inflammatory burden be recorded?
Correct answer: D - Hurley stage II; IHS4 score 13, severe
A 19-year-old man continues to develop deep facial and truncal acne nodules and new atrophic scars despite four months of doxycycline, adapalene, and benzoyl peroxide. He uses the medications consistently and has stopped attending social events because of his skin. Which treatment strategy best addresses the continuing risk of permanent scarring?
Correct answer: A - Transition to oral isotretinoin after pretreatment evaluation, without overlapping doxycycline and isotretinoin.
Histology confirms recurrent morpheaform basal cell carcinoma at the edge of an old excision scar on the nasal ala. The visible lesion is only 6 mm, but its clinical margins are indistinct. The patient is a suitable surgical candidate. Which treatment best combines reliable margin assessment with preservation of uninvolved tissue?
Correct answer: A - Mohs micrographic surgery
Over 36 hours, a 22-year-old with atopic dermatitis develops fever, painful monomorphic vesicles, and numerous punched-out erosions across the face, neck, and upper trunk. Oral intake is poor. A lesion swab for herpes simplex PCR has been collected, but the result will not be available until tomorrow. What should happen before that result returns?
Correct answer: D - Begin systemic acyclovir and arrange urgent hospital assessment for possible intravenous treatment.
Ten days after the second correctly applied permethrin treatment for scabies, a patient still itches, although much less than before. Household and sexual contacts were treated simultaneously, clothing and bedding were managed appropriately, and examination shows no new burrows or papules. The patient asks, "Do I need a stronger medicine?" Which response is most appropriate?
Correct answer: B - Improving itch can last for weeks after eradication; new burrows or new lesions would warrant reassessment.
"Both bottles say broad-spectrum SPF 50. Why are you recommending the tinted one?" asks a patient with recurrent melasma. Both products provide comparable labeled UV protection, but the tinted product also contains iron oxides. What is the most accurate explanation?
Correct answer: A - Iron oxides add protection against visible light, which can aggravate melasma despite adequate UV protection.
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