How to become a hospital NP?

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Hi all,

First of all, I apologize if my question seems too vague but I am not sure how else to phrase it.

I have my BSN and experience in oncology and ICU. I'm thinking I'd like to go the NP route and work in critical care or HIV/AIDS. Fields such as hepatology and oncology interest me as well.

I've researched programs online and it seems that mostly what is offered is an FNP program. Where I am confused is, how do I specialize during that, or after? How do I specifically tailor my education course to be able to work in an acute care hospital as an NP?

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Specializes in Hospital medicine; NP precepting; staff education.

You choose your specialty before you start. FNP is one, ACNP, AGACNP are others. The latter two are acute care. While it is possible to be in hospital as an FNP (I am an FNP in the role of hospitalist), many acute care locations likely prefer the acute specialists.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

Ditto. Our hospitals only hire acute care NPs for hospitalist roles.

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Specializes in psych/medical-surgical.

Yes, there is a Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, and you should do that if you want to be critical care.

I know as an FNP you can specialize, just as other providers do. I had a Family Nurse Pracitioner do the preop appointment in the Gastroenterology clinic for example - she told me about the procedure, and put in orders for the GoLytely.

My uncle is an ER physician and I think he told me that he works with FNPs that specialized in Emergency Medicine in Tallahassee FL

I also remember years ago at Barnes in STL that there was a section of their ER that had NPs. Not sure if they were ACNP or FNPs

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Specializes in Hospital medicine; NP precepting; staff education.

My ERs prefer FNP to see all ages, but even better love the dual cert with acnp or the newer ENP.

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If I had a do-over I would have gone for the dual ACNP/FNP, that way you are covered.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

If there are no acute care NP programs that interest you ... you might want to explore a CNS role. It's not the same role, but it might be a role you would like.

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Specializes in DHSc, PA-C.

My hospitalist team hired an adult NP and an FNP. They had them both get an ACNP certification. The hospital paid for it. So, it was just getting through the schooling. From what I've seen a dual FNP/ACNP is the best combo to cover just about any specialty you want to work in.

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Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

I recommend you go for the NP training that will maximize your training to a goal of working in the in-patient side regardless of what physicians in the area hire or even in the absence of state regulation that delineates what particular types of NP's can do.

Currently, Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP programs are the only ones that can prepare you best for a role in the adult side of in-patient care because both didactic and clinical rotations will be geared towards the acute care population. It can be a liability issue if your training does not correspond to your NP role.

Unfortunately, AG-ACNP programs are not as widespread as FNP or AG-PCNP programs. There are online options for AG-ACNP and some are in fairly reputable institutions (UAB and Vanderbilt come to mind). Adult ACNP or what people refer to as ACNP is an older program that is no longer available both as an educational track and as an initial certification option. That program has been replaced by AG-ACNP.

HIV-AIDS is a different story because that is a highly specialized field and I doubt if any particular NP track addresses that adequately. Some institutions may have the resources to offer exposure to that population in their FNP, AG-PCNP, or AG-ACNP track (think UCSF which has a robust HIV program).

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