Question for current or studying NP's

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Greetings all. I'm currently completing my BSN and am planning to go on with plans to be FNP. I'm currently researching programs and while I can find masters programs, I'm also seeing a lot of Post-masters certificate programs for Nurse Practioners. I know I could do the DNP but I'd prefer getting a masters as every job announcement I have seen only requires the masters.

Are the certificate programs sufficent enough after getting a masters to work as a FNP? Do employers take those or only the NP masters degrees? I want to work as a NP and get my masters..just don't want to bury myself in debt doing it.

Thanks!!!

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Specializes in Urology.

A post masters degree would only be useful if you wanted to be certified in a different specialty or if you had an MSN already. I'm confused as to what you are trying to ask. Are you saying that you need to do a post masters for a certificate to actually work as an FNP? I'll just lay it out how it works.

You have an MSN program that can be FNP, ACNP, PNP, AGNP, PMHNP, etc. You complete said program and take the certification exam either by ANCC or AANP and boom you are now certified in said specialty (this will vary by state).

A DNP is a doctoral degree, two years after the masters. It is not a post masters certificate, its a doctoral degree.

A post masters degree is a SECOND masters certificate. Say you are a FNP and you want to do ICU inpatient so you want to get ACNP certified. You take a post masters ACNP program to do that since you already have a masters with your FNP.

Does this make sense? Hopefully your question is answered.

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Thanks so much for the response.

Here's a link to the program:

Family Nurse Practitioner | College of Nursing

Basically I'm currently attending WGU in their RN to MSN- Nursing Education. The school is very affordable and I could get my masters with very little debt. I'm debating whether to leave the program when I compete the BSN portion and enter a different MSN NP program which would cost 20,000 more per year.

Or get my masters from WGU and then get the NP post maters certificate which would save me money but I'm concerned the certificate wouldn't be enough for employers.

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Specializes in Outpatient Psychiatry.

You need a NP certification on top of your RN license, and you're all set. The employers don't really care how you go about this. If you elect to get a master's in some arbitrary area of nursing and follow that with post-master's training and certification then that's fine. If you elect to pursue a straight master's-NP then that's dandy. If you choose to pick up your NP training and subsequent certification through a DNP program then you've shelled out a lot of money you'll see no return on, but you can still be a NP.

The employer is only concerned with your scope and ability to sign a prescription pad.

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So the certificate would be enough? Thsts great news!

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Specializes in Outpatient Psychiatry.
So the certificate would be enough? Thsts great news!

If you already have a masters, yes.

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This is off topic from the OP's original question, but if OP wants to get a doctoral degree, that is their decision. The "return" may be different than PsychGuy's definition of "return," as I know it is different from mine.

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Depends on the employer, some hospitals might want more but most private practices can go with either

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Specializes in Med/surg, Tele, educator, FNP.

It depends, here in SoCal, the big employers with the good benefits want a masters prepared FNP, but you can find a job as a FNP without the masters at mom and pop clinics.

I think you can get a job anywhere after years of experience. If I were you I would just get the masters....

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I was seriously thinking about doing this - get the Master's online in a year for 10K at WGU, then just get the certificate for the Nurse Practitioner part. I don't know how it would all shake out money-wise but I would suggest looking into it.

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Specializes in Urology.
I was seriously thinking about doing this - get the Master's online in a year for 10K at WGU, then just get the certificate for the Nurse Practitioner part. I don't know how it would all shake out money-wise but I would suggest looking into it.

You do realize that the NP program has those MSN classes built in as core classes right? You still take them in the NP program. The part that irks me so bad about everyone wanting to be an NP is if you have to ask a question like the OP, why are you doing it to begin with. You should know the difference in what a post masters certificate is. You should also know what you are getting yourself into and what it entails. Getting and MSN and then your NP Certificate is the same thing as just doing the NP program to begin with. RESEARCH PEOPLE.

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I'm seeing quite a few programs that offer "post master's certificates" after you have an MSN, most of which are 2 semesters, not 2 years like my program. I have a fellow student in my cohort that came into the program with an MSN in Clinical Leadership and she is not taking the research classes that I have to.

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