ACNP Specialty

I am very anxious to go back to school to become an ACNP. Can anyone shed some light on job satisfaction in this field. I definately feel the need to advance my career, want more responsibilities, and love acute care. I am looking at programs in Chicago and Milwaukee. Does anyone know of specific programs that they would recommend in these areas? What are typical hours as an ACNP depending on location of practice in the hospital vs. clinic? I want to go back to school now, but all of the programs that I am looking at require one more year of experience beforehand. This is frustrating to me.

To be a ACNP, you do need at least 1 year of acute care experience. I think they require that so you will be really sure of what the acute care setting entails. Are you already a RN? Perhaps you could shadow an ACNP and see what they do. Usually, they also want you to take the GRE's. Have you already taken it? Good luck.

Smile123

Yes, I have my BSN, and I have been an RN for one year. I work in a Pulmonary IMCU with telemetry. No, I haven't taken the GRE yet, but I have found that quite a few programs will waive it for me since my undergraduate GPA was a 3.9. From the studying that I have done for the GRE, it really has nothing to do with nursing. I seems like just another hurdle to jump in order to get to the finish line. At least learning the vocab is useful in everyday life. Have you taken the GRE, Smile123? I heard that the format is changing soon, and I better take it sooner than later.

Yes, I have my BSN, and I have been an RN for one year. I work in a Pulmonary IMCU with telemetry. No, I haven't taken the GRE yet, but I have found that quite a few programs will waive it for me since my undergraduate GPA was a 3.9. From the studying that I have done for the GRE, it really has nothing to do with nursing. I seems like just another hurdle to jump in order to get to the finish line. At least learning the vocab is useful in everyday life. Have you taken the GRE, Smile123? I heard that the format is changing soon, and I better take it sooner than later.

That's great you already have a year of nursing under your belt. Yes, I took the GRE already because the programs I applied to required it. And yes, you are right, it is changing. But if the schools you are applying to don't need a GRE, that's a blessing for you. The GRE is another hoop, just like all the pre-reqs we had to take to get into nursing school in the first place! I wish you the best!

Smile123