NP Specialty?

sailornurse · Apr 25, 2005

I have recently switched from being pre-med to being pre-nursing. I'm planning to be a NP. I am very interested in working with low income mothers and doing prenatal care and maternal/neonatal nursing. Does anyone know what NP specialty this would be? Any advice for how to get there?

You might consider: WHCNP=Womens Health Care NP or NNP, Neonatal NP. :balloons:

cgfnp · Apr 25, 2005

You might consider: WHCNP=Womens Health Care NP or NNP, Neonatal NP. :balloons:

Or you might get the FNP as you can do all of the above or anything else in case you change your mind down the road.

RN4NICU, LPN, LVN · Apr 25, 2005

If you go the NNP route, your scope will end with the babies. If you go the WHNP route, you will turn babies over to another service. If you want comprehensive family care, go with FNP. If you know that you just want to work with mothers, perhaps WHNP or even CNM (if you want to do deliveries).

nev · Apr 28, 2005

Hi,

I have a question. What is a med/surg NP?

I have no idea what it is .

Thanks

Nev

cgfnp · Apr 28, 2005

Hi,
I have a question. What is a med/surg NP?
I have no idea what it is .
Thanks
Nev

There is no such thing. The closest thing would be an Acute Care NP (ACNP) which are trained to work in the acute care setting (rounding in hospitals). But, you can do this with the FNP too.

foxyhill21 · Apr 28, 2005

So I guess with a FNP I could work in the hospitals or clinic, I could also work with OB, GYN, Pedi, ER, ICU, Neonatal. Wow, it is just like getting a BSN (very non-specific). Is this correct?

suzanne4, RN · Apr 28, 2005

CNM---Certified Nurse Midwife............does all of that............as far as the mother is concerned. There is no nursing NP specialty that covers both Neonatalogy as well as the mother. It is one or the other..............

WHNP does not cover neonatalogy either, only a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP) does this..........

cgfnp · Apr 28, 2005

So I guess with a FNP I could work in the hospitals or clinic, I could also work with OB, GYN, Pedi, ER, ICU, Neonatal. Wow, it is just like getting a BSN (very non-specific). Is this correct?

Yes and no. FNPs don't work in NNP territory, but all the others except actual OB delivery which is midwifery (and docs of course).

It is much like getting a BSN in that it is terrible training, but that's it. The practice is much much different.

jeepgirl, LPN, NP · May 12, 2005

I was gonna say... it's probably beyond the scope of an Family Nurse practitioner to practice as a neonatal nurse practitioner or a certified nurse midwife. but otherwise, you can do about anything else!

if you want to work with young, low income mothers and their children FNP would be a great choice for you. good luck.

suzanne4, RN · May 12, 2005

Most practices either take care of the mother, or the infant, not both together in the same practice. Especially if you are dealing with low-income families where the health care is provided by the county or state. There are pediatirc clincis, then there are adult clinics, wach with their own set of NPs and Drs. in each. The only way that you would see both together would be in a very small town that still only has a few family practice personnel and they have a contract with the state or country.

You have to take into account the reimbursment practices in the area where you wish to practice. That will greatly influence everything........... :)

jeepgirl, LPN, NP · May 12, 2005

Most practices either take care of the mother, or the infant, not both together in the same practice. Especially if you are dealing with low-income families where the health care is provided by the county or state. There are pediatirc clincis, then there are adult clinics, wach with their own set of NPs and Drs. in each. The only way that you would see both together would be in a very small town that still only has a few family practice personnel and they have a contract with the state or country.
You have to take into account the reimbursment practices in the area where you wish to practice. That will greatly influence everything........... :)

In my area, most of the clinics are family care clinics. if you worked in these clinics, you'd probably see some low risk, outpatient OB patients. then, after the doc has birthed those babies at the hospital, they will probably come back to you.