From CVICU to ENP (Best route?)

[JuicyJ95, BSN, RN]

Just a little background on myself...

I am a CVICU nurse with 1.5 years experience in CVICU, 1.5 years in MICU/STICU, and 1 year cardiac stepdown. I have decided recently that I would like to give my future some thought, and I know that bedside RN just isn't it. Though, when I began my career in critical care my goal was to work in the ER, then do the FNP route and get my ENP.

I worked some ER when I would float early in my career as a MICU/STICU and I LOVED IT. Though, I just always enjoyed ICU too.

Now, I know that I would need ER experience once I got my ENP, but for the few years it would take to get my FNP I would like to maybe travel (ICU of course) and save money so I do not have to rack up any more student loans.

I guess my question is, has anybody gone this route?

Am I making this more complicated than it has to be?

Is there any ENP's that could weigh in on if they feel this route was worth going? Just doing some early research here. Thank you in advance. 

[FiremedicMike, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

I'm not an NP, just an ED nurse pursuing ACNP to work in hospital.

Id recommend finding an ED NP that you can shadow for a few hours to make sure that's the place you want to be.  Constantly rotating shifts plus the fact that in most environments you're only seeing the 4s, 5s, and soft 3s, is what totally kills it for me.  I love being an ED nurse, I'd probably enjoy being an ED physician, but only taking care of the lower acuity patients would not be enjoyable to me.

There definitely are places where APPs are seeing all the patients, but it's not the norm (at least in my area).

All this is to say - I don't think ED nursing experience is crucial to your success, especially if you're doing the ENP program and not just FNP and then learning on the job.

[offlabel]

JuicyJ95 said:

I worked some ER when I would float early in my career as a MICU/STICU and I LOVED IT. Though, I just always enjoyed ICU too.

 

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Working ER/trauma as an RN and a midlevel are in different zip codes. Be real careful before getting too committed. 

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

Practically speaking, I think that ENP programs are much harder to come by than PCNP or ACNP, but that's just a logistical thought. The transition from any bedside position to provider can be a challenge. I know, I'm trying to complete that transition in the ICU and it's been a rough year. 

In my clinical rotations I did an ER rotation and the NPs/PAs definitely got the lower acuity patients, as was already pointed out. In my geographic area, the ER is a primary care resource for many people and the APPs see most of those patients, the MDs take care of all the high acuity patients. But that could be very specific to any work environment.

Good luck with your future plans!