FNP: Can you specialize after graduation or do you?

[klalicata]

Dear all

I am currently in graduate school for the FNP program. Upon graduation, do you need to take exams for areas of specialty or do you just apply? For example, if you want to go into CT Surgery or Reproductive Medicine, do you take additional exams? I am in the beginning of the programs so I have two more years to this about this, but just curious

Thanks

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Moved to the NP forum.

[jer_sd]

This is an interesting question to look at in many views. I am a FNP who works in a specialty area.

Fist you need to look at your state requirements. Do they restrict a FNP to primary care only? Do they allow scope of practice based upon education and experience? Or are there no real parameters set?

Second what is your hospital and local insurance requirements? The hospital may only credential ACNPs for ICU related privileges. Your liability policy may not wish to cover you for services you have not been trained on and some payers may not want to reimburse a FNP for some functions.

Many FNPs work in specialty areas, they gain additional experience after graduating. There are some additional certifications available for NPs that are not core recognized certifications by CMS such as; orthopedics, nephrology and urology. Last time I looked there were about 8 of these certifications and more are on the way. These are not required but might make credentialing easier but currently are of little use.

If you are going to practice in a surgical specialty I would recommend taking a RNFA program after your FNP. One hospital I work in requires that for clinical privileges to first assist, the other hospital does not. Understanding the interoperative time will make it easier to manage pre-op and post-op patients as well.

The debate on FNP vrs ACNP is something different all together than I addressed.