Question about Acute Care Nurse Practice?

[level1_traumaRN]

I am planning on attending the University of Kentucky to become a NP. My question is this: where can a Acute Care NP work, I understand in the hospital...but outside of hospitals? Which types of clinics? doc's offices? can you work in? Which is more valuable to get an Acute Care NP degree or FNP and go from there? what is the difference?

[ibnathan]

Currently I am a student nurse but both of my critical care instructors are Acute Care Nurse Practioners. Both of them have worked with a physician as a hospitalist they both have said that it was the best job that they have ever had. I also know that some ACNP's can work in the ER. Hope that helps

[DukeU.ACNP-S]

An ACNP is a graduate nurse with an advanced practice degree in acute care/critical care medicine. What can we do? We can intubate, place a-lines, central lines, chest tubes, manage mechanical ventilators, assist in PEG placement, performs bronchs along with managing the patient form the chief complaint all the way down to implementing the plan of care. The majority of jobs I have interviewed for are trauma, general surgery, CT surgery, and emergency medicine. Our scope of practice in critical care exceeds that of an FNP, even though I know many FNPs in critical care settings.

[AfloydRN, BSN, RN]

I have friends who are NP's in our CCU and one is an NP for a large manufacturing corp. She basically serves as company MD and RN. She of course is working under an MD but does function independ.

[Kristiern1]

I am an ACNP. I work in a cardiology practice. I primarily see pts in the office or clinic setting. On certain days I do round in the hospital and see consults etc. I also see patients in our pacemaker/defib clinic and do device interrogatons.