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I ultimately want to become an ER nurse. I plan on getting my BSN, then getting an FNP and ACNP. Just to be sure, is there anything else I need to be able to operate as an ER nurse? Do I even need these certifications to be one? I think I'll need them if I wanted to assess patients in the ER and even treat them, if possible to a certain extent. I know where I'm at NP's are used in place of PA's in certain areas. any advice would be greatly appreciated

@hawaii omgosh! ok so I've only heard of ALS out of all you've listed. ok so all those certifications are needed to be an ENP? or are they just beneficial?

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Specializes in Emergency.

I will be a RN at the Level I. While I was in school at MSU, I worked as a PCA II (Er Tech) at the hospital. Not to be rude, but seems like you're putting the cart before the horse....get your degree. Get a job. Get your masters, FNP, or ACNP, and then specialize. You are just starting nursing school in Spring 2012. You do have time. :)

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oh ok, well I'm a planning person, I like to plan and know what I'm doing. I don't like wasting time and would rather know it all than know nothing. That's how I've always been and it's actually a great attribute. Knowing all that I can allows me to make the right decisions instead of taking things as they go. I'd rather not. i often witness others in the "if only I knew earlier" stage and I'll avoid that at all cost. by the time i'm 25 I want to be out of school for good with my degrees , enjoying my career and starting a family. so I'm a planner :)

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Specializes in Emergency.

I'm a planner too. I plan to be in medical school by the time I'm 28, so I'm well aware of how beneficial it is to plan.. good luck to you. We've talked before if you need something let me know.

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.
oh ok, well I'm a planning person, I like to plan and know what I'm doing. I don't like wasting time and would rather know it all than know nothing. That's how I've always been and it's actually a great attribute. Knowing all that I can allows me to make the right decisions instead of taking things as they go. I'd rather not. i often witness others in the "if only I knew earlier" stage and I'll avoid that at all cost. by the time i'm 25 I want to be out of school for good with my degrees , enjoying my career and starting a family. so I'm a planner :)

Use your planning skills to differentiate between a skill certification such as ACLS ... and the career path of being a CRNP (different from a registered nurse who work in an emergency department) and the educational preparation it requires.

Good luck to you.

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Specializes in emergency, neuroscience and neurosurg..
Also, do nurses with FNP, and ACNP get to do minor procedures? I believe I read that somewhere. I'm looking for all sorts of information and why is there a need for ACNP cert if you can work in the ER w/o it?

Just as RN stands for Registered Nurse and is a professional role and title granted with dictional requirements and passing state board of nursing examination, ACNP is not a "cert." is the initials for Acute Care Nurse Practitioner. FNP stands for Family Nurse Practitioner. This is an advanced practice RN with prescriptive privileges and educated the the masters level as a minimum. Many states are now pushing for a doctorate degree to become a nurse practitioner. The role of an ED nurse and that of a nurse practitioner or physician assistant (PA) are vastly different. Some facilities refer to them as mid-levels while others use the term physician extenders, but their roles have nothing to do with generalist nursing or bedside nursing in any specialty area.

I believe you need to read/learn more about the roles you are asking questions about.

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