ACNP vs FNP

[indoamerican]

I am looking for NP programs and this encyclopedia of search resulted me in a land of oasis, I am unable to decide wheather I should opt ACNP or FNP hence seeking my fellow nurses advice.

I am more of an ER/OR guy and like ACNP (love the adrenalin rush), but parallelly I dont want to loose rendering primary care/hospitalist role. As if today there's a lot of crossing over between the two roles but talks are coming about the law changes, DNP programs, and people being restricted to their license scopes. I am in this oceanic dilemma. My dear fellow nurses with ACNP and FNP licenses could you all share your job experiences like what exactly you do, I think your replies would not only help me but would help thousands of other nurses who are in the same fix in choosing a speciality. Thanks to each and every one and good luck.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

I'm an adult health CNS but my scope of practice in IL is the same as an NP. I work full time in a nephrology practice managing 200 dialysis pts. My call for them is in two hospitals and most of our patients are in the ICU.

I also work prn in a community hospital ER and at the moment only see adults. However I'm back in school for a peds CNS in order to see kids. In an ER you need to be able to see everyone.

[indoamerican]

See thats the whole point, FNP gives a flexibility with all age groups but restricts in typical acute care stuff like intubation/lumbar puncture etc and ACNP's can do these only in hospital settings and only to adults. There's a catch to everything I wish there comes a program which integrates both FNP and ACNP. Anyways thanks for your comments.

[meandragonbrett]

See thats the whole point, FNP gives a flexibility with all age groups but restricts in typical acute care stuff like intubation/lumbar puncture etc and ACNP's can do these only in hospital settings and only to adults. There's a catch to everything I wish there comes a program which integrates both FNP and ACNP. Anyways thanks for your comments.

There are two different types of acute care. You have ACNP and then you have Pediatric Acute Care.

ACNPs are not restricted to only working in the hospital.

[deannicholas]

See thats the whole point, FNP gives a flexibility with all age groups but restricts in typical acute care stuff like intubation/lumbar puncture etc and ACNP's can do these only in hospital settings and only to adults. There's a catch to everything I wish there comes a program which integrates both FNP and ACNP. Anyways thanks for your comments.

Not to divert the thread, but I have a question, would a PA be able to be flexible with all age groups and still be able to do acute care stuff too? Thanks.

[suvatata94]

Vanderbilt has a program ACNP/FNP especially for people who interested to work in ER. Dual cerification will alow you to see adult and peds in acute and sub-acute settings. I hope it's helps. I love Vanderbilt.

Tat.

[core0]

Not to divert the thread, but I have a question, would a PA be able to be flexible with all age groups and still be able to do acute care stuff too? Thanks.

PA scope of practice is based on the supervising physician. Essentially if its within the SP scope its within the PA scope. There is defined training with requirements for peds, adults, inpatient and outpatient experience as well as EM and surgery.

David Carpenter, PA-C

[indoamerican]

This PA thing was always confusing to me, I personally saw a PA work in the ER and his so called license is not allowing him from many things for sake intubating a patient, It was never clear what is the exact role of a PA and his/her scope of practice, thats the reason I chose Nurse Practitioners route.

[indoamerican]

suvatata94, Yup I recently knew about it, i graduated from Union University at Jackson. Vandy looks very flexible with its courses, but its an expensive university I wonder if they have any work-study programs of any educational opportunities to its employers. Thanks for sharing the info though. Do you work there?

[melmorris]

There is discussion about ACNP and FNP -- The ACNP definitely limits your work choices specifically to adults unless there are some pedi acute care programs coming forth out there -- I too was an ER nurse for many years ( also director of the unit - a working manager) before I went back to school - I choose FNP program because of the education across the age spans and it would not limit where I could work -- one of the things that it seems you are looking for is a program that has both adult and pedi acute care focus - you might consider an Emergency Nurse Practitioner program - there are not a lot of them around but they teach the spectrum and the procedures -- Good luck deciding

[suvatata94]

I attend Vandy ENP program -ACNP/FNP dual degree. I love Vandy because of the quality of education u get. It's is expensive but you have a multiple options for scholorships and forgive loans.

Tat.

[melmorris]

I did not realize that Vanderbilt had an ENP program - I am a preceptor in their program and have precepted several students from there doing the distance learning track