Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Jun 17, 2007

I am an Acute Care NP working in a critical care role. Your question has been asked before. Please refer to this thread:

https://allnurses.com/forums/f34/advice-acute-critical-care-nps-194097.html#post1957568

If you have other specfic questions, don't hesitate to PM or post again.

DarrenWright · Jun 18, 2007

Pinoy, I'd like to chat about ACNP, and would take it to PM if you prefer. I read the other thread until it evolved to liability coverage.

1. How long was your orientation to your job after graduation?

2. What subjects or clinical areas would you have focused on more intensively during your ACNP program given what you know now?

Thanks.

DW

Ekklesia · Jun 18, 2007

I am an Acute Care NP working in a critical care role. Your question has been asked before. Please refer to this thread:
https://allnurses.com/forums/f34/advice-acute-critical-care-nps-194097.html#post1957568
If you have other specfic questions, don't hesitate to PM or post again.

Thank you. Very informative thread.

I would like to know what ballpark salaries are. I know that there are many variables that affect pay, and I've already googled "ACNP salary" but I'd like to hear from someone directly. What is the general pay range for your peers?

At the school I'm looking at "students can select an area of emphasis such as critical care, cardiology, pulmonary, neurology, oncology, trauma, as well as additional specialty areas."

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Jun 18, 2007

DarrenWright:

1. My orientation lasted 6 months. I was hired with significant ER experience but remote SICU experience with little focus in the cardiothoracic surgery field. I had a semester of MICU rotation in NP school. Needless to say, I had to be upfront with our boss (an intensivist surgeon) and asked to be given enough time to learn not only the procedures but the care-specific issues in cardiothoracic surgery ICU management. Unfortunately, as we look for more people to join us recently, we have become more picky and have been narrowing down our candidates to ones with good ICU experience particularly in the CVICU arena. We will still provide 6 months of orientation but will be glad if the new NP's would say "Im ready to be on my own" after less than 6 months of orientation.

2. Had I known I will be working in an SICU environment, I would have picked a better ICU setting for my clinical rotation. I did an MICU rotation at a VA Hospital that didn't provide the greatest ICU training in terms of patients seen and procedures performed. What I meant by that is that the number and quality of bedside procedures as well as the kind of medical cases and surgeries being performed in the hospital itself was not at par with the tertiary hospital I am currently working in.

And just as a final note, I also suggest that all ACNP students pick a general Internal Medicine or Hospitalist service during their rotations. I think it will provide a well-rounded training in all aspects of adult medicine and will definitely help in putting medicine concepts together even if the ACNP graduate ends up in a specialty practice like I did.

Gaylord Focker:

Salary? as an employee of an academic medical center in an inner city environment, our salaries tend to be lower than our peers in the suburban hospitals and private practice groups. My hospital prides itself in providing the "total compensation package" (whatever that means) and sends out an annual report of each employee's compensation from the previous year including benefits, overtime pay, vacation pay, base pay, etc. My "total compensation package" last year was approximately $120,000ish. But what was not included in that amount is that the department paid for our annual conference (we were compensated for attending the AANP conference in Texas last year including airfare, hotel, and conference fees), our certification and licensure renewals, ACLS, BLS, FCCS, and our professional association memberships.

I see that you are in Ohio. Most ACNP programs are typically similar to the program you described. Some programs can offer more specialty fields while others offer less depending on the availability of faculty experts and specialty preceptors in the area. Some students elect to have a general adult medicine focus if their goal is to work in internal medicine. Research your program well so you won't get disappointed.

cjmue12 · Jun 18, 2007

This is an interesting post for me also. I am in the process of applying and beginning the NP/CNS degree in the fall. I have been in the SICU for the past 12 years and thought about the CRNA program, but quite honestly I would miss the bedside patient care, and would only be doing it for the money I fear. I work at the University Medical Center in toledo, and although they dont have a specilaty for critical care, it is at least an adult care program, and thay have recently combined CNS and NP. Any advice from currently practicing NPs would be very appreciated.

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Jun 19, 2007

cjmue12, good luck in whatever path you decide. My ACNP program was similar in that we were combined with students in the Med/Surg CNS track. Only our clinicals were different. There wasn't a lot of interest in the CNS role here only because of the limitations in practice for CNS due to our own state's rules. I did have a classmate who wanted to be certified both as an ACNP and a CNS and spent rotations with both NP's and CNS (she basically doubled her clinical hours) in order to meet the certification requirements for both exams. She is working as a CNS right now by choice. I actually see more CNS in the critical care setting than I see NP's at least where I am from.

For those of you who have more questions about ACNP and acute/critical care CNS roles, there is a yahoo group sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania called "Advanced Nursing Practice in Acute and Critical Care" or simply ANPACC. I don't know if I can use the weblink but try searching ANPACC in yahoo groups and ask to be signed up as a member once you reach the site. Many experienced NP's and CNS regularly visit the site and a lot are more knowledgeable about the role as I am since they have been around longer.

DarrenWright · Jun 19, 2007

Before I forget, Thank you for this fantastic information.

I've already applied to an ACNP program and will be interviewing in about a month.

cjmue12 · Jun 19, 2007

Ok so let me get your opinion on this - The institution I work for has partial tuition waiver for me (60%) waived. Grad school obviously being expensive, this is a nice benefit. However the NP/CNS program is a little generic, it is an adult care NP. My true interest is in forensics, which I have researched several programs (Vanderbilt and Duquesne) and they have Masters in forensic nursing tracks. And as a backup, I have 12 years of Surg ICU experience, so a critical care track would be great also, which many other schools offer. So my dilemma is this, do I continue at my institution because it is convenient as well as financially appealing, or spend $25,000 on an online out of state program. I dont want to settle, and moving is not an option. I have been struggling with this for quite some time. Thanks for your input!!!

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Jun 19, 2007

By Adult Care NP, do you mean Adult Nurse Practitioner? Some programs also refer to this NP track as Adult Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (in contrast with Adult Acute Care Nurse Practitioner). If your interest is critical care, this program will likely not offer the clinical exposure you are after. However, with your strong SICU background, I wouldn't be surprised if an employer gives you consideration if you applied for a critical care position once you graduate.

Forensic Nursing? hmmm, I wonder what the job market is like for that role in your area. I do remember an ER nurse I used to work with who obtained a certificate program in forensic investigation. She still works in the ER so maybe she didn't get as lucky finding a job in that field in the Detroit area.

That partial tuition waiver is a big plus. But if you REALLY want to get into an ACNP program, why not give the other schools a chance before you make a final decision. Although tuition in grad school can be expensive there are many sources of funding that you can find if you look for them. Ask the schools what kind of scholarships are available. I know in my school, you can apply for many private as well as state/federal sources for tuition assistance. Many of my classmates received some form of scholarship grants. I know that because I did too and we all saw each other in the scholarship award luncheon! Your hospital's tuition reimbursement program may also help and I have yet to come across a hospital that doesn't offer such benefit even if the amount is little.

bmmibmmi · Apr 3, 2008

Does anyone have insight into the job prospects for Acute Care NPs in the San Francisco Bay Area? I've heard that to practice after my graduation I may have to leave the area to find work.

dec2007 · Sep 11, 2008

Hi! I am an RN,BSN in search of an MSN acute care/intesive care nurse practitioner program that can be primarily accomplished through an online format. Is anyone aware of such a program? I have found several programs with emphasis on women's health and family nurse practitioner studies. If anyone has ANY information they think might be helpful. Thank you for your help in advance!! billswife