mursej

I'm not sure the DNP is the limiting factor for open positions or clinical placement as a masters degree & licensure is all that is required to practice per the MN board of nursing. This is stated in one of the major employers in Minneapolis job postings for NP positions: "Allina Health does not hire new grads from all academic institutions. Many proprietary on-line schools do not meet Allina Health’s standards due to the minimal oversight of the student’s clinical experience, the high faculty/student ratio, and the lack of focus on national certification standards in the curriculum." My understanding this guides academic placement within their clinical slots as well. I believe this is how the major health systems operate as well, so clinical placement and employment might be a challenge. Best wishes with your educational endeavor.

Winona State University offers a BSN-DNP with two different leadership tracks: Nursing Leadership Program: Nursing and Organizational Leadership Or Nursing Leadership Program: Practice and Leadership Innovations (Doctor of Nursing Practice - Winona State University) The University of Minnesota School of Nursing offers a BSN-DNP in Health Innovation and Leadership (formerly titled Nursing Administration) (Health Innovation and Leadership - School of Nursing - University of Minnesota) These BSN to DNP nursing administration programs are all over the place. These two example programs do not prepare your for APRN (eg. Nurse Practitioner) licensing, but do prepare you for the advanced practice of nursing administration and health systems leadership. I would consider you continue your research, and familiarize yourself with the various program requirements as they do vary from school to school. I would also caution that there is a huge difference between the DNP and the PhD in nursing, so I would be clear about what your final career goals and objectives are before diving into doctoral study. I'm not saying that lack of direction for graduate study is a total waste, it's just important to consider the time, money, and other sacrifices one must make when they take on the education journey. Take the time to weigh your options. Good luck!

Trauma where are you going for your FNP? Was there any wait list / application hoops to jump through?

Thank you both TraumaRUs & Whispera for your insight. I agree all the acronyms are confusing if you don't know what they are which I often feel creates confusion for the public and healthcare providers alike in understanding who we are, what skill set we have, who we can see, etc. AACN is the American Association of Critical Care Nurses. They have updated their certification to be consensus model compliant (ACCNS â€" Certification for Adult-Gerontology, Pediatric and Neonatal Clinical Nurse Specialists) which consists of 3 certification options for CNS's: ACCNS-AG, ACCNS-P, & ACCNS-N (Acute Care CNS-Adult Geriatric...). Their website specifies that even though they are a critical care organization their new CNS cert covers the Wellness to Acute Care spectrum so it should be applicable to any new CNS grad. I'm thinking the two of you have answered my question; until recently ANCC was the only certifying body. Thanks.

Which certifying body did you choose for your CNS certification? ANCC and their ACNS-BC, AGCNS-BC, etc or AACN with their CCNS or the new ACCNS(-AG,P,N)? Are there any other organizations that currently certify CNS's? What was your reason for choosing the certifying body? I understand that some of this will be dictated by your school's program, but I thought some of this difference in preperation was going away as programs adapt the consensus model. Thoughts?

Even if going back to school were an option for you I can't imagine peds CNS programs are that easy to find. Do they want you to get your FNP now?

I haven't heard anything further about the development of the family/lifespan CNS certification. I know Winona State University (http://www.winona.edu) has an RN to MS professional pathway for obtaining a BSN along the way to an advanced practice graduate degree.

Oh gotcha. You're hoping to be filling more the traditional advance practice prescriber role. Many a CNS on here has encouraged those wanting to be an APN to do an NP program over a CNS program.

I'm in Wisconsin. My program is in Minnesota.

Why do you now wish you had completed an NP track? Availability of job? Pay scale for traditional CNS's?

I'm in an adult-gero CNS program. Our co-hort is kinda small, the big hospitals in my area are all looking at Magnet so there hiring CNS's for the traditional role.

@Melina Is you school working on developing a "Lifespan" or "Family" scope of practice preparation CNS? I too am in a Adult-Gero CNS program so I understand the APRN consensus model and the transition to a population focus rather than a setting focus to initial certification. If I want to someday be able to see all ages I will have to complete a post masters certification in pediatrics after completing my initial Adult / Gero certification. So far the CNS does not have a family or lifespan (birth to death) certification available. To have this SOP one requires dual certification in adults and pediatrics. If you have any information on development of a family CNS certification or training programs it seems a few of us on here would be interested in learning more. What are your plans when you are done with your A/G CNS program?

I was browsing on the NACNS website and came across an area describing current initiatives with one of the following being "Population-based CNS Competency development underway - Women's Health/Gender Specific and Family/Individual across the Lifespan." (http://www.nacns.org/html/membership.php) Has anyone else heard anything about the development of a Family/Lifespan CNS certification? I assume it would be the CNS version of the FNP. I've thought this would have been an essential certification from the start. I work in a non-differentiated ED where nursing see patients across the lifespan; I see the lifespan SOP being typical in many sub-specialties. The current categories of certification for the CNS is somewhat limiting and necessitating that practitioners receive and maintain multiple certifications if their population served is across the lifespan. Excited for the CNS world if this is a direction leadership is actually pursuing.

Do you feel you would have had the training if you had completed an NP program and not a CNS program?

What was so character building about your first year as an APRN? I have just finished my first semester in my AGCNS program. I am hoping to be in the nursing patient education / staff development, policy role. I would also like to teach some in the traditional educator role. I felt the CNS role would best fit these goals. That being said I also considered down the road working in the APRN patient management role as my states practice act allows it. Wondering what I can learn from your first year on the job.