Adult-gerontology NP vs FNP

[KellyBSNRN18]

Trying to decide which program to choose....FNP or Adult-gerontology Primary Care NP.

Is the FNP really that much more marketable? If you don't care to see the pediatric population, is it worth it to go FNP route just because of the job market? I am currently a bedside nurse and am completely burned out. I no longer want to run the halls, and do shift work. I'd like to have a job with autonomy, respect, decent pay, and a great schedule, all while impacting patients. Any advice?

[ICU2NP]

It depends on where you want to work afterwards. I went adult/gero because I have never worked in peds, never want to work with peds, and don't care to learn about them. I am keeping up with all NP job postings in my area as I go through school and the only places where a FNP is required is urgent care and ED (and peds offices obviously). Everywhere else they state how they accept adult/gero, and some postings are requesting adult/gero (certain specialty clinics). I know most all of the NPs I deal with in the hospital (mostly consulting services) are all adult NPs (PC or AC). At least in my area, FNP is not necessarily more marketable, and I'm glad I didn't buy into that thought process.

[Rocknurse, MSN, APRN, NP]

It depends on where you want to work afterwards. I went adult/gero because I have never worked in peds, never want to work with peds, and don't care to learn about them. I am keeping up with all NP job postings in my area as I go through school and the only places where a FNP is required is urgent care and ED (and peds offices obviously). Everywhere else they state how they accept adult/gero, and some postings are requesting adult/gero (certain specialty clinics). I know most all of the NPs I deal with in the hospital (mostly consulting services) are all adult NPs (PC or AC). At least in my area, FNP is not necessarily more marketable, and I'm glad I didn't buy into that thought process.

Bear in mind that the FNP job market are saturated in many areas, whereas the AGACNP job market is not in most areas. I cannot speak for the ACPCNPs. I would assume they would compete with FNPs for jobs in primary care. If you want to work in primary care then do either FNP or AGPCNP and if you want to work inpatient acute care do the AGACNP.

[KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN]

1). Authonomy: severely state and situation dependent. Very severely indeed, although it is something you at least can do something with. After a while, I mean.

2). Respect: hmmmm, how about that ADN/RN calling you at 2 AM "to just let you know" about INR 2.5 (patient is on steady dose of coumadin, target is 2 to and then three times more within 45 min with the same absolutely sucked-out-of-the-thin-air "concerns"? And here you can do absolutely nothing about it. And let me not even start about patients and their relatives, please.

3). Decent pay: see 1), only you can influence it much less due to market saturation. Unless you want to live where I do (middle of nowhere, being exact)

4). Great schedule - what's that? 7 12-hours in a row? 8 to till-job-is-done 5 days a week plus periodic night calls and weekends/holidays? Calls home at any time of day and night?

Your NP career's success directly depends on one simple question: what do you want to do with it? If you want what you stated, then I can tell you with a great deal of assurance that you'll not goint to get where you want to be.

I cannot tell you what YOU want from it. I know what I want and I get it - constant mental stimulation, fascination of knowledge, constant learning, never sitting in a fishbowl, keeping all threads straight, speaking with really, really smart people, and, yes, SOMETIMES a glimpse of that "making difference" thing. Only a glimpse, and not every day, but it happens. What YOU want will define YOUR career, so think about it now.

Re. the main question, despite of market saturation, FNP keeps an edge over AG primary. Too many niche jobs require at least episodic peds and/or women's health, especially those which are and will be heavily belonging to NPs/PAs in the near future, such as urgent care.

[adreamdeferred, MSN, RN, APRN, NP]

As an AGPCNP student I am a rare breed in my circle. I think most panic and fall for the FNP is more marketable schpiel. Most of the students I know are FNP. I had schools trying to convince me to do FNP because they did not have adult program with that same speech. I know 100% I don't want to treat peds so I stuck to my guns. Why put myself through the extra reading and testing?! You very well may have more options as an FNP but for me it didn't make sense. I am content to work with my options than take a position I would rather not be doing. I didn't return to school to "make do".