[skinc1]

Hey I followed the link to UT Houston..where do it say they have a ENP?!

[foxyhill21]

Since u work in the Dallas area do u know if parkland have NP in the ER? I know UTA has an ENP program. I know what u mean about PA/NP making the same pay. Now that I have been researching the topic, I am beginning to see the same thing. I have a friend that went to southwest medical school PA program and he urging me to go the PA route, BUT, I am still undecided.

Originally Posted by skinc1

I too am interested in the ENP. I work at an ER in downtown Dallas and our ENP's see pt's in the same scope as a PA. Ovbiously if things get to sticky then a MD steps in, but they function here just like PA's. I had been looking for an ENP and hadnt found much either. The big difference is that if I go for an ENP I can go back to school now, as opposed to a PA which requires Physics, Genetics, Organic and other classes that I did not take for nursing school. And if they function the same and get the same base pay as a PA..seems silly to be a PA. Though I can see if I were to step out of Dallas that it might be a narrow scope.

[DaisyRN, ACNP]

Well, with the ENP program thru UTA, you sit for the FNP exam... but I still worry about what happens if you don't like the ER or want to do something else later. You are stuck. I don't think you can just go off of your FNP certification because your training is only in the ER in that program. If I was going to do it again and knew I wanted to do ER, I would probably do PA... just because of the scope questions all the time and the ability to transition into other areas, should the ER not work out. Just my personal opinion...

[ctbtrini]

I recently graduated from Emory University ENP program in Dec 08. There are a few people in my class who are not working in the ER and have decided to do Family Practice. Along with ER clinical hours we HAVE to do FNP hours, being that we are sitting for a FNP exam, therefore we are more that capable of working in a non-emergency room setting. I even know a past graduates who works with an Ortho group. All this to say, that even though we are taught and are expected to have a emergency room skillset we also know how to function in other settings.

[DaisyRN, ACNP]

OOooh!! That's great to know and I think that's how it should be. For some reason, I thought UTA only did ER hours, but maybe they do it that way too.

[ANPFNPGNP]

Originally Posted by ctbtrini

Hello,
I am currently in the ENP progam at Emory University, It is truly a great program. Along with your ENP classes you take FNP courses because that is the exam you will have to sit for. In the ENP classes we learn everything from suturing to chest tube insertion to intubation. It really is a wide range of skills. The program includes a total of 800 clinical hours (I think) that you split between FNP hours and ENP hours. I think what truly allows for a tailored experience is the many clinical rotations that you have the option to do. Of course you do a set number of hours in a Level 1 trauma center, but you can also do hours in the surgical trauma rotation, or the flight rotation for example. The coordinator for the program knows many people in the medical community here in atlanta and she is really good about getting you good experiences. I am almost finished with my first semester and we have'nt began clinicals yet, so my knowledge is limited, but from what I hear from students who are finishing in December, they have really enjoyed the program despite its extreme intesity.

I would have loved a program like that. I work in primary care, but moonlight in urgent care. I was certified as an Adult/Geriatric NP (saw ages 12 and up), but needed to see younger kids in urgent care, so I completed a FNP program as well. I don't feel that I got enough ortho experience in my clinicals and we just learned to suture on pigs feet. If I had to do it over again, I would totally do the FNP/ER combo b/c I absolutely LOVE to do procedures!

[ANPFNPGNP]

Originally Posted by DaisyRN

Well, with the ENP program thru UTA, you sit for the FNP exam... but I still worry about what happens if you don't like the ER or want to do something else later. You are stuck. I don't think you can just go off of your FNP certification because your training is only in the ER in that program. If I was going to do it again and knew I wanted to do ER, I would probably do PA... just because of the scope questions all the time and the ability to transition into other areas, should the ER not work out. Just my personal opinion...

I don't get it...if you are certified as a FNP, then you can certainly work in the primary care setting.

[ANPFNPGNP]

Originally Posted by skinc1

Hey I followed the link to UT Houston..where do it say they have a ENP?!

Well, I graduated from UT-Houston recently as a FNP and they definitely had one last month! I know they changed their webpage layout, so you may have to dig for it. They also have a CRNA program that is ranked 2nd in the country. Now THAT'S what you need to go for!

[ANPFNPGNP]

Originally Posted by MaleAPRN

Hi,

But, our medical director told me a long time before even hiring me as an NP, that he'd rather hire an FNP prepared APN than one that is ER or ACNP prepared. Why? As an FNP, I am able to see OB and Peds patients.

Vince.

There's an ACNP/FNP dual degree at Vanderbilt and the NP would be able to see patients of all ages in and out of the hospital. I guess I don't know enough about ACNP's, so are they usually either "Adult" or "Pediatric"? If so, forget it. I was an ANP/GNP and went back to get my FNP b/c I needed to be able to see kids under 12. Looking back, it was great experience (tons of extra clinical hours), but a royal pain in the arse having to go back to school and very $$$! Definitely either do the FNP only or the ACNP/FNP combo b/c both can work in the ER or primary care. However, you'll need the ACNP behind your name if you're going to work in other areas of the hospital.

[DaisyRN, ACNP]

No... just because you are certified in FNP doesn't mean you can do primary care. If the board was to investigate and realize that you did ALL of your hours in an ER setting, you are NOT to function in the primary care setting... simply because your training does not allow it. The ENP program I was talking about just has you sit for the FNP cert exam after you're done, so you get the full age spectrum... and I'm not saying I think its right. I think they should just have an ENP certificate. But like the other poster said, her ENP program required them to do FNP clinical time too... so that would be different... and you would be able to function in the primary setting.

Originally Posted by ANPFNPGNP

I don't get it...if you are certified as a FNP, then you can certainly work in the primary care setting.