FNP, ACNP? What made you choose?

[Sweetpea04, BSN]

I've been a Nurse on an oncology unit for 1 year, bedside. I’m thinking quite a lot about going back to school. Not now, but soon. I would like to transfer to a different unit first and get more experience obviously.
 

I wanted to ask what made some of you what made you go for Family Nurse practitioner VS Acute Care Nurse practitioner. What experience did you have? How many years were you a nurse? What unit did you work on? Do you regret your decision? Do you like where you are at now?

Is there any advice that anyone can give me, a newer nurse who would like to further her education one day? 

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

I'm a new NP with 10 years of experience in long term care, med-surg and ICU, I worked for six years before starting NP school. I would have waited longer to go to NP school, but I'm a second career nurse and I really wanted to be done with school before I turned 50. I chose to go back for an acute care adult NP degree because I knew I wanted to work in the hospital. I'm currently in a hospitalist position and will be moving to the ICU soon. I think that it might be a more regional thing, but in some areas, hospitals will NOT hire FNP prepared nurses because their education is in primary care. Many people start out FNP because they think it will give them the broadest range of job opportunities. And it will in the outpatient and primary care world. Some hospitals will hire into the ED or hospitalist groups, but some will not. 

I love my hospitalist position, and I'm optimistic that I will enjoy my ICU role. However, I could make more money right now if I stayed in my bedside role. Short staffing has led to some incentive programs at my hospital and I would be making more picking up a couple extra shifts a week than I do in this position. But, I honestly didn't do it just for the money. I wanted to learn more and really become proficient in directing the plan of care for patients. And eventually I will also make more money in the provider role than at the bedside (except maybe for travelers). 

Good luck with your decisions!

[dianearc, BSN, RN]

I’m thinking of returning to school in the next two years. I love bedside but it’s definitely draining & can’t do it long term. Anyone with experience in being a hospitalist NP (for internal medicine). Is the ACNP better or FNP? For background, I’m 36, I have been an RN for 7years now with a vast experience as an RN working in various units including a short stint in the CVICU-9months there before I left that unit during the 2nd wave of Covid. Now I’m a float nurse. I have an interest in studying for ACNP but zero interest in being an ICU NP. I do however want to work toward being a hospitalist inpatient one day for M/S units. Any advice?