Acute Care v. Adult NP

[7starbuck7]

Hello, I am applying for an MSN program for Spring 2008. I have had the worst time trying to decide on my major. First it was FNP v. ANP. I ruled out FNP because I do not want to see kids and I am not interested in primary care. I am more interested in working in a speciality practice. So I thought I would do ANP. Now I am looking at acute care and wondering if that is right for me? I have been working in ICU for most of my 7 years of nursing.

So my question is, can an ACNP function in the ANP role as well? One of my many reasons for doing the MSN is to at some point have a job that is not 12 hour shifts in the hospital. If I am an ANP working in a speciality practice will I see patients in the hospital as well? Or am I limited to the office? Is the ACNP or the ANP more marketable to the speciality practice?

Thanks

D

[Corey Narry, MSN, RN, NP]

To answer your question, you'll have to look at what the trend is like in your geographical area. Here where I live, I see ANP's and ACNP's in reality doing basically the same kind of work and have been pretty much interchangeable as far as practice settings. In the ICU where I work, we have 2 ANP's on our team. I know of an ACNP who primarily works in the clinic with an internist.

Now, if we are to remain purist and adhere to the true intent of these 2 NP tracks, ANP's are trained to provide primary care to adults (out-patient) and ACNP's are trained to provide care to acute and critically ill patients (pediatric or adult depending on the specific ACNP track) in hospitalized settings.