gerontology or FNP for acute care

[bisson]

trying to decided which track to go with for critical care, but at the same wondering what role does an NP have in critical care, and it is better just get an FNP?

I'm in cardiac surgery ICU now as a staff RN, and I've only seen one NP that rounds with the transplant team. I love the ICU, and I definitely want my NP, but I wonder if they even go together. I have no interest in being a CNS/ educator within the hospital.

[BostonFNP, APRN]

If you are only interested in working in the tertiary setting as a Hospitalist/Intensivist then an acute care NP may be a better option for you.

In most states you can work in the tertiary setting as a FNP but you won't have the intensive training in acute care that the ACNPs have coming out of school.

[Corey Narry, MSN, RN, NP]

If you don't see NP's in an ICU (intensivist role), your hospital or metro area may not yet be accustomed to the idea. There are NP's who work in ICU's alongside intensivists managing critical care patients ranging from cardiac, surgical, neuro, to medical ICU's. The role is not new. There are literature from the Society of Critical Care Medicine that describe the role and settings where they have been successfully integrated into the ICU model of care. As mentioned previously, you could have critical care rotations in an ACNP program (both in the adult and peds track which are separately offered). I am an Adult ICU nurse practitioner in the West Coast who have been doing this role since 2004 beginning in the Midwest. Our group only hires Adult ACNP's.

[bisson]

Thanks everyone. I applied for the local school's FNP program. There is no acute care programs nearby and I'm not willing to travel twice a week because I work full time and have 3 small kids. We are thinking of moving to florida, so maybe an FNP is a better track.

Juan, i read your article and noted your extensive experience, you are definitely an inspiration!

Acceptance letters go out tomorrow, so fingers crossed!