NPs specializing in endocrinology?

EGVnurse · Jan 26, 2015

I am very interested in returning to get my Master's in Nursing so that I can specialize in endocrinology as well. I'm not sure whether FNP versus ACNP would be better, depends perhaps on whether you want to work in outpatient or inpatient. I would love to be able to combine both. I work at a diabetes clinic right now as a Diabetes Nurse Educator and we recently hired an NP (I believe FNP) who sees patients with type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. She is doing a lot of education, insulin and medication management, ordering labs, sending referrals to the RD's and RN/CDE's. She is still picking up patients so I'm not entirely sure on her scope/roles yet but you're right, it is mainly diabetes management at this time.

benjgary · Feb 2, 2015

I'm not entirely sure on her scope/roles yet but you're right, it is mainly diabetes management at this time.

I would like to expand my practice beyond diabetes management to maybe include some management of thyroid and pituitary disorders for example. I would guess that maybe expanding the scope of practice beyond diabetes management would fall under discretion of the endocrinologist and how confident he/she is in the knowledge and ability of the NP? Or does the specialization specifically restrict the scope of practice to diabetes education and medicine management?

Also, somewhat related, do you have any idea of when they are changing the requirement to become a NP from a MSN to a DNP, and which groups will be grandfathered in and allowed to only have a MSN degree to practice? I know that they were pushing for the requirement of doctoral preparation for CRNAs and NPs and some schools in my already require completion of a doctorate program to be able to practice as a CRNA. (I would like to attain a DNP degree regardless, just curious.)

Spurse32 · Jun 20, 2015

I remember reading a posts by one of the nurse anethesia moderator people that it was going to be 2025 that required all NEW grads to be DNP educated for NP stuff. Other's could be grandfathered in. I'd have to search for the post but I'm pretty sure that's when it was.

allnurses Guide · Jun 21, 2015

I'm a junior level nursing student and am intent on graduate school and becoming an NP. I'm really interested in endocrinology. Firstly, what exactly would an NP specializing in endocrinology be doing day-to-day (I know a large part is diabetes management). Secondly, would an FNP or an ACNP route be more useful for this particular specialization? Also, any info on how I would go about specializing in this field would be greatly appreciated.

As an NP working in endo, you would likely be working in both the hospital and clinic settings doing consultations and management across the spectrum, and diabetes and thyroid disorders will likely be the most common issue, but you would get to see all sorts of other issues as well, the rarity likely dependent on your position at a community placement vs tertiary center.

Typically in my area this is usually favored by FNP/AGNP/ANPs because of the largely clinic-based role with less than 25% in-patient. This may vary in other locales.

Start off by getting great undergrad grades, networking with contacts to land a job close to the speciality, and then applying to and getting accepted at a top-tier grad program where you can use your contacts to secure provider-level endo placements.

Best of luck.