FNP wanting to specialize

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Specializes in ICU.

Hello everyone.

I am currently in school to become a FNP. I am wondering if once I graduate, if I want to do something else besides be a FNP in a primary care clinic, will I need further certification or will I have to take more classes?

For example, right now I think I am interested in OB/GYN. Besides taking boards for FNP, will I have to take boards for anything else to practice as an OB/GYN NP? Will I be allowed to practice as an OB/GYN NP with only an FNP certification?

I don't know if I will have to take another semester of classes specializing in this or if a job could hire me and I would just receive on the job training for it.

Thank you in advance!

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Specializes in ICU, LTACH, Internal Medicine.

It depends a lot on where you will be hired and what will be your scope of practice. If you work outpatient in, say, cardiology office, you can expect to be trained. Where I am, many FNPs work for specialists practices, both in- and outpatient. But, AFAIK, it can be dufferent if you want totally different specialty. Working only in women's health will require you to get postmaster's certificate and become Board certified in this specialty. Sometimes employer can pay for this (again, where I am now, hospitalist FNPs are mass sent to nearest online school to do that, hospitalist practice footing the bills) but these NPs are employed there for years, they are not fresh grads from school.

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Specializes in Urology.
Hello everyone.

I am currently in school to become a FNP. I am wondering if once I graduate, if I want to do something else besides be a FNP in a primary care clinic, will I need further certification or will I have to take more classes?

For example, right now I think I am interested in OB/GYN. Besides taking boards for FNP, will I have to take boards for anything else to practice as an OB/GYN NP? Will I be allowed to practice as an OB/GYN NP with only an FNP certification?

I don't know if I will have to take another semester of classes specializing in this or if a job could hire me and I would just receive on the job training for it.

Thank you in advance!

Just curious here. If you wanted to do OB/GYN why didnt you become a midwife?

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Hello everyone.

I am currently in school to become a FNP. I am wondering if once I graduate, if I want to do something else besides be a FNP in a primary care clinic, will I need further certification or will I have to take more classes?

Your post was moved to our Nurse practitioners forum to generate replies from NPs who are knowledgeable about the issues that interest you regarding specialization.
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Specializes in Cardiac, Home Health, Primary Care.

OB/GYN would mean you'd need post masters certification program for midwifery. If you don't want to deliver babies women's health post masters program would open more doors in GYN clinics.

You can do a lot with FNP if you have proper TRAINING in the area but ideally you'd be certified in the areas. To be certified you must go through a program that qualifies you for certification.

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Specializes in Surgery.

Not necessarily. You could of course apply but most likely these jobs would go to a Women's Health NP..

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

I honestly think it just depends. I have a friend who is a AGNP, yet she works in a OB GYN office specializing in oncology.

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Specializes in OR Nursing, Critical Care, Med-surg.

My current OBGYN is a family nurse practitioner; she has no specialization or additional certification.

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Specializes in ER/Tele, Med-Surg, Faculty, Urgent Care.

FNP encompasses Women's Health. As a FNP student I was taught by both WHNP & midwife (pelvimetry, prenatal/postpartum,contraception including implanting & IUD insertion & of course paps, no further certification required. Delivery of babies is not part of FNP scope though. Family Practice includes care of women, men & children. It is known as "cradle to grave".

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Specializes in allergy and asthma, urgent care.

Working in an OB/GYN (outside of delivering babies) setting is within the scope of practice for a FNP. That being said, I think it can be very beneficial to work for a year or two in Primary Care before going into a specialty. That way you can be exposed to different things and see what you like and don't like. It's helpful to have that big picture experience, even in a specialty. I also thought I wanted to do OB/GYN, but I found there were other things I liked just as much once I worked in primary care.

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Specializes in Outpatient Psychiatry.

In my state, the FNPs can't deliver, but they can do all the family planning, contraception, pelvic exams, and other gyeno work they want.

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Specializes in Cardiac, Home Health, Primary Care.

Yes you CAN work OB/GYN (aside from delivering babies) as a FNP (I have a former classmate who is currently in an OB/GYN clinic as FNP) BUT...

if you know you want to work in OB/GYN why not do Women's Health? If a potential employer in a OB/GYN clinic has to choose between a FNP and Women's Health NP who do you think they will offer a job to?

If you KNOW KNOW KNOW it's where you want to be and you do NOT want in primary care why would you bother with FNP? If you think you're okay in primary care then keep with FNP and if when you apply for OB/GYN jobs you don't get many bites maybe go back for post master's.

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