Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Jan 21, 2010

Anyone currently going to school for or already working as an ACNP? How do you like it? I have been an RN in the ICU for over 5 years, and I plan on applying to Goldfarb School of Nursing for Fall '10. Does anyone know the pay ranges for this type of NP? Thanks in advance for you replies.

I've been a Certified ACNP since 2004. I have been working as a Critical Care NP since 2005 beginning in Michigan and now in California. I definitely enjoy the critical care field and have learned a lot from the time I started this role even though I had ICU experience prior to becoming an NP. What I like the best are the opportunities to collaborate with providers in other specialties involved in managing our particular patient population as well as being part of an interdisciplinary team. For the most part, I've had collegial relationships with intensivists and many are familiar with how nurse practitioners fit in the ICU setting. In all the ICU's I've worked in, the staff nurses have been very receptive of nurse practitioner presence and appreciate our value and expertise. ICU is also procedure-driven and I am happy to have acquired skills in invasive procedures such as central line placement, etc. Michigan salary for ACNP's vary and average base annual salaries are in the 85-95 K range. California salaries are obviously much higher but the cost of living is outrageous.

jls189 · Jan 21, 2010

I've been a Certified ACNP since 2004. I have been working as a Critical Care NP since 2005 beginning in Michigan and now in California. I definitely enjoy the critical care field and have learned a lot from the time I started this role even though I had ICU experience prior to becoming an NP. What I like the best are the opportunities to collaborate with providers in other specialties involved in managing our particular patient population as well as being part of an interdisciplinary team. For the most part, I've had collegial relationships with intensivists and many are familiar with how nurse practitioners fit in the ICU setting. In all the ICU's I've worked in, the staff nurses have been very receptive of nurse practitioner presence and appreciate our value and expertise. ICU is also procedure-driven and I am happy to have acquired skills in invasive procedures such as central line placement, etc. Michigan salary for ACNP's vary and average base annual salaries are in the 85-95 K range. California salaries are obviously much higher but the cost of living is outrageous.

Thank you so much for your reply. It was very very helpful. Sounds like a good gig.