I started working as an NP House Officer at this university hospital 4 months ago. I mostly deal with medical patients. We have our own RRT. I work at night and therefore deal w/ mostly episodics e.g. SOB, CP, N/V/D etc. etc.
I graduated from a Primary Care NP program. Most of you know, most primary care programs teach us about out-pt care/management. I work side by side with two docs, they are willing to teach me and a great resource. There are also specialists that I can ask here and there.
I am thinking of going back to school for an Acute Care Cert. NYU offers post cert, but it will cost me an arm and a leg. I am thinking of going back because I feel incompetent sometimes. Another reason is I am planning of moving to NYC in a year or two but city hospitals prefer acute care cert NP over primary care NP - pls. correct me if I am wrong.
Regarding the DNP, My hospital can pay for the degree, but I am really not sure if its going to help with my current situation.
HaHa!!, I really don't know what to do, I just really want to be competent of what I do. On my nights off, I read and review, I know, such a nerd . Is taking the Fitzgerald
acute care review and update will help or am I just thinking too much.
If the DNP is free and you have time then get it. Post masters acute certs will be there too for grabs. Maybe cert on your own dine then DNP on theirs. Either way same time cost.
What ever happened to the consensus model? I know in Texas they pushed it and all the hospital FNPs were told to get their ACNP and the facilities paid for it. I read that in some states the FNPs in hospitals are grandfathered in and do not have to update. However, there are many states where there is no mention of the consensus model and I don't see it happening anytime soon.
The consensus model cont to be problematic for the APNs in the states that have approved it....here is the link to the states that have approved it....
Here is the link to LACE which discusses the acute versus primary care role. As to grandfathering, that is up to the individual states. I know that UPenn offers an AGACNP post-MSN in a very short amt of time. That might be an option too if that is the direction you wish to go...
I too and so confused with how the NP stuff works. I just finished my degree in May and took the AANP, I am now certified as Adult Gero Primary Care NP. My current position is working with a doctor doing hematology/oncology consults inpatient and then following up with the some of those patients outpatient. I just began working but it seems that most of the inpatient stuff either it being hematology or oncology is stuff that would be done outpatient - with the exception of HIT or TLS (which I guess at times is followed outpatient too!). Should I do the UPenn program or just get certified as an Advanced NP in Oncology? Any input would be great.
Also, the census model for my state only has 14 points!!
I am very interested in the UPenn post masters in acute care. When i first found it it sounded too good to be true as i am very happy with my current job as an Electrophysiology NP, and cannot imagine quitting my job to go back to school for 2 years!! That being said, I would feel more at ease with the ACNP behind my name.
Did you have financial aid or did you pay for it out of pocket? Were you able to get your employer to help with $$ at all?
I feel the same way- I am an AGPCNP and while in school my instructors made it sound as though ACNP was specifically for independent ICU and Hospitalist NPs, and I knew I wanted to do cardiology. My current job has a lot of AC responsibilities, but everything inpatient is co signed by the MD.. down to the diet order. I do independent clinics, but that is the only time i am unsupervised. Furthermore, I do EP which is so specific and i would imagine really not that focused on in ACNP programs..
The whole change is confusing.. specifically for specialty NPs.
I wish grandfathering and/or more streamlined programs where your job is your clinicals were an option!!
Here is the link to LACE which discusses the acute versus primary care role. As to grandfathering, that is up to the individual states. I know that UPenn offers an AGACNP post-MSN in a very short amt of time. That might be an option too if that is the direction you wish to go...
The thing about the concensus model that you have to keep in mind is that it is not setting specific (as the above link states in bold). Rather, the consideration is the type of care provided. For instance, someone who manages SOB, CP, N/V/D like the OP mentioned would generally be considered providing primary care regardless if they are in a clinic or hospital. Now someone who is managing airways and vascular access would likely be providing acute care again regardless of the setting. This is a bit confusing since most of us are used to dividing care based on where it is delivered (e.g. in patient, out patient, critical care, LTC).
States that require ACNP credentials to work in-patient are not necessarily in sync with the consensus model which explicitly refuses to make a determination based on setting alone. In stead, they seem to be working off the assumption that providing in-patient care will, at some point, necessitate acute care skills/services.
If you plan to work in the hospital or an acute care setting, I highly recommend an acute care certification, because it is now required in many states. However, if you want to pursue the DNP, that is fine as well. I pursued the ACNP post-masters after my FNP.....just my opinion, I would pursue a phD rather than a DNP. The DNP is just another plot for nursing schools to make money, without NPs to really get the title of an earned doctorate level degree. If you have DNP by your name, in some facilities, you are unable to be called a "doctor", and it is very competitive if you work among MDs, and threatening to SOME MDs. Also, most people are unfamiliar with the DNP. A pHd is considered more widely accepted, and more respected; now this is just MY opinion. If I work for something on a doctorate level, I want to be acknowledged as such. Good luck with whatever you decide.
Just curious if you did end up going to UPenn for the streamlined program and what you thought? I am currently considering doing the program after 1 yr as a nocturnist.
. Is taking the Fitzgerald 
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If the DNP is free and you have time then get it. Post masters acute certs will be there too for grabs. Maybe cert on your own dine then DNP on theirs. Either way same time cost.