Minimum level of experience for FNP

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I am a nurse on a tele/med-surg floor. I am interested in becoming a family nurse practitioner eventually, but I was wondering if anyone has a recommendation on the minimum years of experience one should have before trying to become a FNP. I plan on transferring to the ER before I go to round out my experience.

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Specializes in ICU, Home Health, Camp, Travel, L&D.

This is going to seem arbitrary to some, probably, but I like 5+. Many schools require 1 yr, but, face it, one year gets you competent, maybe...not expert. I think that if you're going to be my family's provider, I want you to be solid in assessment and pathophysiology, with an ability to prioritize and process large amounts of information quickly and confidently. And 1 yr + clinicals just don't cut it.

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Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.

I have a close friend who is an FNP.

She got her BSN, passed the NCLEX, went straight for her FNP and now works in a physician's office/General Practice.

She has never worked as a staff nurse.

She is an EXCELLENT FNP....she really cares about her patients and constantly works to keep up her skills. She has been practicing about 5 years now and has a very devoted list of patients.

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Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
I have a close friend who is an FNP.

She got her BSN, passed the NCLEX, went straight for her FNP and now works in a physician's office/General Practice.

She has never worked as a staff nurse.

She is an EXCELLENT FNP....she really cares about her patients and constantly works to keep up her skills. She has been practicing about 5 years now and has a very devoted list of patients.

How is "excellence" determined? I took care of many patients devoted to their less than minimally competent surgeon. My doc has hired a FNP and I'm never sick enough to see the doc so forced to see FNP and I basically have to look everything up myself before I go in because after 35 years of my own experience, I know I'm going to have to basically take care of myself. She's just fine for getting the maintainance tasks done but I wouldn't trust her with anything more. Caring about your patients just isn't enough. Keeping up with skills isn't enough if you don't have much of a knowledge base. So I'll stick with the FNP as long as I'm healthy, but if I thought I had anything exotic, please let me see the doctor.

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Well, since there are direct-entry FNP programs all over the US, TPTB in nursing have obviously decided that no experience is necessary (I'm not saying I agree with that, just that that is the reality of the situation).

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Specializes in ER/ float.

This also leads me to think there will be too many FNP'S in the near future. Most not having a clue in what they are doing!( here in the rural area a few facilities are utilizing FNP's in the ED. I feel this is just wrong and will not be seen by one personally.:twocents: Just like the nursing shortage we were told would happen.:lol2: I see here in northern WI that most new RN's want to be FNP's (seems to be a trend) and with only 2yrs in school after the BSN I almost can't blame them.

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Specializes in L & D; Postpartum.
I have a close friend who is an FNP.

She got her BSN, passed the NCLEX, went straight for her FNP and now works in a physician's office/General Practice.

She has never worked as a staff nurse.

She is an EXCELLENT FNP....she really cares about her patients and constantly works to keep up her skills. She has been practicing about 5 years now and has a very devoted list of patients.

Could it be this NP is a mutual friend? I have a friend who did exactly the same thing. She never did a day of floor nursing as an RN. Went directly to an office as an NP.

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Specializes in L & D; Postpartum.

I really don't see how experience as a floor nurse is going to mean much when you are working as an NP. RN's don't prescribe meds, for example, only dispense them. RN's don't diagnose illnesses or conditions, only treat them as ordered by MD's or NP's.

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Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.
How is "excellence" determined? I took care of many patients devoted to their less than minimally competent surgeon. My doc has hired a FNP and I'm never sick enough to see the doc so forced to see FNP and I basically have to look everything up myself before I go in because after 35 years of my own experience, I know I'm going to have to basically take care of myself. She's just fine for getting the maintainance tasks done but I wouldn't trust her with anything more. Caring about your patients just isn't enough. Keeping up with skills isn't enough if you don't have much of a knowledge base. So I'll stick with the FNP as long as I'm healthy, but if I thought I had anything exotic, please let me see the doctor.

Who said anything about an FNP diagnosing anything exotic?

When I thought I was having problems with my uterus, I went to an OB-GYN...I didn't go to an FNP who could also physically perform a pelvic exam. I went to a specialist because that is what they do.

A good FNP should be able to perform GENERAL care and treatment and REFER you to the appropriate specialist should they find something that requires it.

An ego-driven FNP or MD, for that matter, will try to crown themselves the expert of everything and try to treat illnesses and conditions that they have no business touching.

The good ones..know the difference.

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good luck! i think you don't need to be and can't be and expert on everything but a few years of clinical experience will support you greatly

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Specializes in Med./Surg. and paramed. exams.

I think its a good thing to have a year or 2 of nursing experience, no offense to Physician Assistants, but I think that is one benefit to patients with a NP is that they have previous nursing experience dealing with the entire patient. Also once you get into NP school, you generally work part-time or full-time somewhere as a nurse, so the 2-4 years you take to finish the NP program you automatically have extra experience under your belt.

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Who said anything about an FNP diagnosing anything exotic?

When I thought I was having problems with my uterus, I went to an OB-GYN...I didn't go to an FNP who could also physically perform a pelvic exam. I went to a specialist because that is what they do.

A good FNP should be able to perform GENERAL care and treatment and REFER you to the appropriate specialist should they find something that requires it.

An ego-driven FNP or MD, for that matter, will try to crown themselves the expert of everything and try to treat illnesses and conditions that they have no business touching.

The good ones..know the difference.

So what's the difference between an FNP and an MD in family medicine? Nothing? I'm sorry, I find that hard to believe.

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