List of Specialties

[HeleneSylvie]

I'm a BSN student who would like to eventually become a nurse practitioner (MSN). Problem is, I'm not exactly sure what kind I would like to be, and I would really like to be able to tailor my classes and eventual work experience to my future career. Back when I was still looking at undergrad programs, I got a book of possible specialties on a college tour, but I've since lost it. Does anyone know of a website or anything where I could find a comprehensive list of all possible types of nurse-practitioners? It would be especially helpful if it also listed what each type does, and where you could get a degree in that specialty. Thanks in advance.

[Bonnie Blue]

These are the specialties listed in certification catalog from the american nurses credentialing center: Acute Care, Adult, Family, Gerontological, Pediatric, Psych/mental health. There are also: neo-natal and women's health which are certified by different groups. There are also nurse-midwives who have NP training. To find schools check some of the links here.

[elkpark]

It's not at all uncommon for people to enter nursing school sure that they are interested in a particular specialty, and then, after going through all the different rotations in school, come out interested in something else entirely. I would suggest that you not be concerned so much right now with "tailoring" your basic nursing education to an eventual specialty now, but wait as see, as you grow professionally, what area of specialty you finding most engaging and interesting over some time.

One of the great advantages of nursing as a career is the incredible range of possibilities -- don't be in a hurry to box yourself in to something.

Many of us here are doing something entirely different than what we originally envisioned for ourselves when we started out! :)