ACNP vs FNP post-masters

Specialties NP

Published

Hi, I'm new here.

I am an ANP thinking about going back to school to obtain a post-masters certification to broaden my scope and future career choices. I would love opinions on FNP vs ACNP as a post-masters certification. I have never had the desire to work with pediatrics. I do favor the inpatient roles and have a background in critical care. In my region, ANPs practice in the acute settings in both hospitalist, intensivist, and as specialists (although so do FNPs). I have contacted my BON previously to enquire if they had a stance on limitations of ANP in these roles and they currently do not. However, I fear that in the future this may be different and as a generic ANP I may find that I cannot apply for acute care roles. I realize that other states and some hospitals systems are choosing to limit inpatient roles to the ACNP only.

Are there any dual-certified ANP (AGPCNP) and ACNP (AGACNP) on this forum that might could give me some advice? What about ANP and FNP?

Thanks in advance.

The only difference is in the training and your liability. Technically, you could see the same people in the hospital setting that you see in primary care. But, if a lawyer wanted to get "froggy" they might could cite you on not being "technically" trained as an AG-ACNP. The AG-ACNP program focuses specifically on hospital care with chronic conditions being an obvious overlap. But, no primary training is included, it is all hospital based.

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