DNP Pediatric Pathway Question

[twhite20]

I am a BSN student applying for a DNP program in pediatrics. In this program you can either apply for the acute or primary pathway. I love peds and would be happy in both settings but I don't know which would be a better path to choose with today's job market. Does anyone know if it is more difficult for a DNP in peds to obtain a job in an acute hospital setting or in primary care?

[babyNP., APRN]

Will depend on where you want to live or if you're willing to relocate in a less desirable area for the initial experience.

[rnkaytee]

I think it completely depends on your area - in my city, we don't use PNPs (either AC or primary PNP) in the hospital - they only work in clinics. It also depends on what you want your life to look like. As an ACNP, I'm assuming you'd have to do weekends/nights/holidays like I do as NNP.

[Corey Narry, MSN, RN, NP]

I think it can be tough to figure it out. In the 90's a lot of hospitals moved away from housing a pediatric unit, pediatric ICU, and limited pediatric services in the ED. Allegedly, peds acute care services are expensive and drain resources in general hospitals. OB services were continued and thus, Neonatal Care was not affected (if a hospital have L&D, they must also have a NICU). Nowadays, if a kid is sick, they end up in children's hospitals.

I've met a few PNP-AC's in different parts of the country and they work in specialized roles in dedicated children's hospitals. We have a children's hospital and we have PNP-AC's (in the PICU, peds transplant, peds cardiac surgery, etc). I think if you move to more rural areas as a PNP-PC, you may find that you will be in competition with family physicians and FNP's for the primary care market.