Best Nursing Specialty for Future NP

Published

Hello all,

I'm starting nursing school next year with the goal of eventually becoming an FNP. I want to get a few years of nursing experience before my Master's to make myself more marketable. I need to know what kind of nurse I should be to best prepare me for the role of FNP. Any help or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi all,

I want to know what specialty I should go into as a nurse if my ultimate goal is to become an FNP. Thanks!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Rehab, Ortho-Spine, Med-Surg, & Psych.
Hello all,

I'm starting nursing school next year with the goal of eventually becoming an FNP. I want to get a few years of nursing experience before my Master's to make myself more marketable. I need to know what kind of nurse I should be to best prepare me for the role of FNP. Any help or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Hello Kelly!

As an FNP you will be handling acute cases, as opposed to critical cases... although you will need and will learn how to identify critical cases so you can quickly refer them. So my first advice is to stick with acute settings as you build your nursing experience. Starting with med/surg will get you exposed to a vast array of situations, medications, and procedures. As an FNP, you will also need to know about Pediatrics... so keep that in mind.

You will find though, as you move forward with clinicals, you will learn of areas that you might not have thought of you'd like or vice versa. This poses the possibility of changing your long term goal of becoming an FNP to a different track of NP. For instance, you might find yourself attracted to the ER, ICU, NICU, CVICU, etc.

It is great to set out a long term plan, but allow yourself to being flexible.

Another piece of advice... some nurses would go from their ASN to MSN... a program popularly called RN to MSN. If you want to build a solid nursing experience before entering the Master's program, I recommend that after the ADN you enroll in a BSN program right away.

The BSN is very much doable as you work full time, less stressful than the ADN, and more hospitals are wanting/preferring that level of education. You can decide later on which Master program/track to follow. Does that make sense?

Hope my advice helps! :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Adult Nurse Practitioner.
Hello Kelly!

As an FNP you will be handling acute cases, as opposed to critical cases... although you will need and will learn how to identify critical cases so you can quickly refer them. So my first advice is to stick with acute settings as you build your nursing experience. Starting with med/surg will get you exposed to a vast array of situations, medications, and procedures. As an FNP, you will also need to know about Pediatrics... so keep that in mind.

Hope my advice helps! :)

The role of a FNP can be acute OR "chronic". If the OP is looking to work in a clinic setting, the times you deal with acute patients is trivial compared to the standard everyday chronic cases one sees. The question is...do you have a passion for a particular type of healthcare such as cardiac versus gastroenterology vs family practice. You may want to see about "shadowing" various NPs to see what you actually do. If OP wants to work in ICU, ER, or other acute settings...than you need to consider an acute NP program.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Rehab, Ortho-Spine, Med-Surg, & Psych.

Yes... what lhflanurseNP said. Sorry, I got it all mixed up.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Moved to the Student NP forum.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion