Can ANP work in ICU

[meghanq21]

Can anyone tell me if ANPs can work in the ICU and what the likelihood of finding such a position is. I'm currently looking into a program for a masters in nurse practitioning for students with bachelors degrees in a non-nursing field. The program only offers ANP, FNP and psych though. I wanted to be able to work in the ICU or another critical care setting in case I someday decide to go back for nurse anesthesia. Would it be possible to obtain an ICU position as an ANP because the program does not offer ACNP?

[PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN]

To the OP. I suggest you look into PA school. Many are masters degree programs, though there are also bachelors degree and associates degree PA programs. It would likely be the shortest rout to working in an ICU as a provider intensivists.

She wants to be a CRNA eventually.

Why take such a long route to it?

Just work in an ICU as a bedside RN and go to CRNA school.

I don't get all of this re-routing.

[PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN]

Absolutely an ANP can work in an ICU. You may be trained for primary care but in an inpatient area you will most likely have a collaborative agreement and with trainig you can work in this area. I don't think there are any states that ban this.

I am an ANP an am working in an inpatient area as a hospitalist.

It's not banned, but hospitals are picky about who can be an intensive care provider. We don't allow it, and we have a 5 hospital (soon to be 6) hospital system.

Besides, not having the experience is very detrimental to the patient. Who the heck is going to take an order to play with inotropes on a transplant list patient from someone who's never done it himself/herself? Or even know how to adjust other chronotropic drips without having done it himself or herself? That's a big NO-WAY-JOSE. She/he will be eaten alive. Trust me on this--especially in a L1 or L2 center.

[wanderlust99]

Yes. I have a friend who graduated from an accelerated ACNP program. So she basically got her BSN then went directly to get her masters. This was @ Vanderbilt, so I don't know how many schools offer this. She worked at bedside as a RN for 1 year and is now a ACNP on the unit.

[celclt]

and this dear OP, is nurses eating their young. Awesome, huh?

[efy2178]

And may I add... Some states and/or ERs require both ACNP and FNP in order to work with monitored adult patients and to be able to see some pediatric patients.

Do you have a reference for this comment? I didn't realize that any state specified what kind of NP could practice in the ER.

[efy2178]

I did find a very good article about the role of ACNPs:

http://ajcc.aacnjournals.org/cgi/reprint/14/3/211

[NurseKJ]

Do you have a reference for this comment? I didn't realize that any state specified what kind of NP could practice in the ER.

Hi Efy,

Yes, I have personal emails with members of the Maryland state board of nursing as my source of this info. However, i don't feel that I should post that on here. You are more than welcome to PM if you would like to know specifics about who I spoke to, ect.

I was looking into working in the ED as an NP after I finished my FNP program. Even as a an FNP with ED RN experience, the BON will not grant me approval to do so, unless it is strictly fast track area with non-monitored patients.

The issue with not having FNP or PNP (along with ACNP) in the ED in the state of Maryland, is that as strictly an ANCP, you can not see pediatric populations in the ED.

So, the majority of NPs in the ED in the state of maryland are ACNP and FNP-- (I am aware of a few that were grandfathered in, who are only FNP-- but that was at a time when there was no ACNP programs available). I have also seen a few who are ACNP, and do not see peds pts.

On the maryland BON website you can look up the advanced practice act- to paraphrase, it states that the NP will practice in a role in which she was educationally prepared. I believe this is the BON "proof" or "policy", for lack of a better term, for enforcing this.

Hope this helps. Again, this is in Maryland-- not sure how strict other boards of nursing are on this issue.

thanks : )

[efy2178]

Thanks--I it sounds as though it is open to interpretation. Fortunately, I work in a state that purposefully keeps the language vague so opportunities are kept open. Iowa does not require a collaborative agreement, however , the hospital I work in does if you are working in a specialty area.

Iowa allows FNPs to work in the ED or anywhere else. ANPs can work anywhere as well. In fact, most of the NPs I know and work with are either FNPs or ANPs. Almost all of these NPs had many years experience in the hospital setting before becoming NPs. Many worked in the ICU--specifically the CVICU. I came from the OR/ cath lab/ EP lab environment and most recently worked in a clinic.

The one ACNP I did clinicals with worked in a cardiology office. We also had one ACNP in school to get her FNP since she wanted more primary care experience.

Unfortunately, there is only one ACNP program in Eastern Iowa--it is fairly new and not yet well developed.

[NurseKJ]

Thanks--I it sounds as though it is open to interpretation. Fortunately, I work in a state that purposefully keeps the language vague so opportunities are kept open. Iowa does not require a collaborative agreement, however , the hospital I work in does if you are working in a specialty area.

Iowa allows FNPs to work in the ED or anywhere else. ANPs can work anywhere as well. In fact, most of the NPs I know and work with are either FNPs or ANPs. Almost all of these NPs had many years experience in the hospital setting before becoming NPs. Many worked in the ICU--specifically the CVICU. I came from the OR/ cath lab/ EP lab environment and most recently worked in a clinic.

The one ACNP I did clinicals with worked in a cardiology office. We also had one ACNP in school to get her FNP since she wanted more primary care experience.

Unfortunately, there is only one ACNP program in Eastern Iowa--it is fairly new and not yet well developed.

It really should be open to interpretation, however, at the present time, it is what it is. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that Univ of Maryland and Hopkins both have ACNP programs. I was thinking about the post masters ACNP, but then the DNP is gonna be required, and the list goes on and on... enough money has been spent on my education! haha.

Maybe I'll have to look into relocating to Iowa, or a state like it that is a little more open and flexible. :)

[shoegalRN, RN]

I deleted my response.