Adult wanting to move to Family

[nurse7502]

Hi everyone,

I wanted to get everyone's opinion. I'm graduating in December 2017 from an AGPCNP (Adult/gerontology primary care nurse practitioner) program. While I have been grateful for my education, I realize that this isn't what I want to do anymore.

This past summer, I had an amazing rotation through an Adult urgent care center. There, I worked with adult patients and learned to treat acute problems such as Viral URI, gastroenteritis, abscesses, etc. I loved it! It seemed manageable to me to be performing highly-focused assessments on acute problem(s), despite the fact that the patient volume was higher and the setting is very fast paced. I also loved the procedures like suturing and draining abscesses. In the primary care setting I worked in, I learned that providers are supposed to address all chronic and acute issues the patient presents with in that office visit, and I don't like chronic management. I definitely like the style of urgent care better than primary care.

Sadly, I'm now looking at jobs for Urgent care, and none of the jobs hire AGPCNP's. They all require providers to be FNP's so that they can treat patients of all ages. While I've never worked with Pediatrics as a nurse, I've had pediatric patients in my volunteer EMS work, and I've done well as a provider working with them in that setting.

So, I have looked into an FNP post-master's certificate program from another university that I would start after I finish my current program in December. It's specifically designed for NP's in other specialties (women's, adult, peds, etc.) who want to become an FNP. My question to you all... how hard is it to bridge from AGPCNP to FNP? The program I'm looking at is three classes total - 1 class per semester, which I'm hoping to manage with a part-time job while in school. Has anyone ever been an AGPCNP and gone back to school to become an FNP? How do you manage clinical and your job? Can you give examples of other post-master's certificate programs that allow you to do this?

[aprnKate]

Did you do some Women's Health rotations in your AGPCNP class? if so, maybe you should consider doing a post masters PNP instead of FNP. I mean you are already adult primary care so you're covered with adults why not just do a PNP? Even when I took my courses as a FNP we didn't do much women's health, I had only maybe done like 110 hours of it.

[DizzyJ DHSc PA-C]

I agree with Kate that doing a PNP program would be better. It would focus on the specific patient population you require the additional training in.

[nurse7502]

Thanks for your reply. If I get a PNP certificate, can I then sit for the FNP boards? Do you know of any online PNP certificate programs?

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Okay - I'll throw this out:

I'm both an adult and peds CNS - two board certifications which cover the birth-death concept. However, I pay double for re-certifications, I must have double the CME, and double the practice hours.

Just something to think about.

And no, doubt you could take FNP boards without an FNP education.