darrin_31

From what you describe you would definitely want to try to obtain an ACNP certification. A year or two back I believe they changed this certification from ACNP to Adult Gerontology ACNP or (AGACNP). The certification will allow you to practice on adults usually age 18 and over. This certification would allow you to work in specialty clinics such as neuro, cardiac, and so on. It is also geared around working within the hospital as a hospitalist on the hospital floors or an intensivist role in the ICU. Most programs have the majority of their clinical rotations in the ICU setting. You would learn skills like central line placement, art line placement, chest tube insertion, and intubation. You could also use this certification to work in the ED as a neuro specialist or in a trauma setting. This would be highly hospital dependent. The one major catch in the ED is that some hospitals hire ACNP's, some hire FNP's, and some only hire PA's. You should ask around at the hospitals in the areas you are interested in living to see who they are hiring. The ACNP is slight limiting in the ED especially for the smaller hospitals as you would need to be able to see pediatric and OB patients as well. Many hospital's hire FNP's in the ED for this reason, and a majority only have them work in the fast track area seeing essentially urgent care patients. Larger level one trauma hospitals seem to hire more ACNP's working on the trauma or stroke teams. If your only interest would be to work in the ED the best bet at the moment seems to be getting dual certified as an ACNP and FNP. For you, you seemed most interested in the hospital setting and it seems the ACNP or the AGACNP, as they now call it, would be perfect for you. Hope this helps a few people. I'm currently in a AGACNP program. Darrin RN, BSN, CEN, CCEMT-P

You are not required to obtain a doctorate degree to become a Nurse Practitioner. There is a recommendation that all NP programs offer a DNP degree by 2015. You may still obtain a Masters degree and practice as an NP for many years to come.

You have the right GPA and experiences to be competitive. For the University of Utah I know they also require an Advanced Physiology course that you would want to take. I think the essay you are required to fill out with your application is the main thing you would want to focus on. University of Utah wants you to have a no doubt decision on what you want to do with that particular certification. FNP going into family practice, ACNP going to work in ICU or trauma. I'll go off on the dual role soapbox. There were some other very good points about waiting for Emergency Nurse practitioner curriculum to start, if you are wanting to work in the ED as a Nurse Practitioner. I'd like to do Nurse Practitioner in an ED, and have been struggling to understand the best option to take. Most ED's hire FNP's at the moment, but the best option thus far is to become dual certified as an FNP and ACNP, and the amount of colleges that offer that are few and far between. Many offer Post Masters programs to obtain another certification but they usually add at least another year if not two. I've asked the University of Utah about a dual certification option there, and they informed me that the programs are three years each, no shortcuts. It's always best to apply to more programs and pick from the ones you are accepted into. If you want to add other highlights to your application add some certifications if you don't have them, or possibly try to get some instructor certifications. ACLS and PALS instructor look good on any application. Or get your CEN if you don't have it. Study two weeks and take the test, any cert. that you have that other applicants don't will make you stand out further.