Best areas for RN to prepare for FNP

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Hi everyone,

I will be graduating in less than a year with my BSN and still haven't really narrowed down my focus yet as to which area of nursing I'd like to go into at the RN level to best prepare myself for working as a family nurse practitioner later on. I'd like to get good, relevant experience in the years I'll be working as an RN before applying to a FNP master's program. What suggestions do you have? Or what has your path been?

Thanks!

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That's a great question! I am interested to find out what others have to say to this because I am currently in a FNP program. I graduated in 2010 with my BSN and have been in the ED since. I love it and I am able to see all different types of cases each day from pediatrics to the elderly. I am not sure if it is the most relevant type of experience you are looking for because it mostly would depend on your area of interest.

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I will start a DNP FNP program this fall and also graduated with a BSN in 2010. I've been working in med/surg/oncology. I would assume that working in any area of nursing would work for FNP since that's also a very general field of nursing practice. If you have no preference, I'd say go for med/surg. My experience there has been so diverse with pt ages ranging from 17 to 98 yrs with an array of conditions and diseases.

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Do you have a job lined up? In all honesty, it appears to be a 'take what you can get' economy out there for nurses now. I am going to stay in geriatrics (GASP!) I have gotten that response a lot lately when people ask about my intentions with a higher degree. I just feel that this is what I know as a nurse and I am good at it. Why throw it away? PLUS! We have an aging society and eventually there will be a demand for more professional nurses specializing in geriatrics. I say work as a nurse for a while and see what you like if you are able. If not, take what ever opportunity you get and build off of that!

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Specializes in ER/Tele, Med-Surg, Faculty, Urgent Care.

Emergency Department was the best prep for me, that's going into my FNP program with about 25 years of med/surg, ortho/neuro/tele, with the majority 15 years in med-surg. I did not have any peds experience going into my FNP, so the ER will give you all ages with all types of conditions. It will help you learn what does/does not belong in the ER for the most part (very helpful when I worked in walkin urgent care clinics) plus you can learn about the diagnostics & learn to read xrays/cts etc, you can learn about suturing, casting, EKG's and all the cardiac stuff, the meds, oh so much you can learn that you can take and build your FNP knowledge on.

SailorNurse, MSN, FNP

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