Can ACNP with ENP-C see kids?

[paramedic-RN]

So I've been scouring the internet trying to figure this out and it will impact whether I decide to do an ACNP or FNP program. I know ACNP's can't see kids but what about an ACNP with an emergency nurse practitioner certificate? Does having that allow an ACNP to see kids? I live in Texas and my goal is to work in an ER that see's adults and peds. I'm wondering if just doing FNP with ENP-C would be a more guaranteed route.

[NICUmiiki, DNP, NP]

No. Per the consensus model, if you didn't cover Peds in school, they are outside your scope of practice. If you didn't cover Acute care in school, that is out of your scope of practice. There is no NP specialty that directly covers ER practice. Since, for now, ENP isn't an approved population (you can't get liscensed as an ENP), having that certification doesn't expand your scope of practice. I do think ENP will eventually be added as it's own population foci with educational programs to match. I know quite a few people who are choosing to complete dual FNP/AGACNP programs to have the expanded scope you are looking for. FNPs can only care for fast track type patients presenting with illness you would find in primary care. AGACNPs can care for acutely ill patients, but not peds. They go to USA (Dual Role (Family NP/Adult-Geron ACNP)).

I looked at ENP certification requirements and it says you have to be an FNP to be eligible for it.

*Even if a facility lets you do it because historically FNPs did work that role, it doesn't mean your liscense will be safe, and that you can't get the socks sued off you.

[pro-student]

To be eligible to sit for the ENP exam, you have to be an FNP. To be eligible for the exam, you also have to meet one of the following 3 options to demonstrate adequate preparation in advanced practice emergency nursing.

The Emergency specialty certification examination is offered to certified family nurse practitioners who meet one of three eligibility criteria options:

ENP OPTION 1

Minimum of 2,000 direct, emergency care clinical practice hours as a Family NP in the past five (5) years

Evidence of 100 hours of continuing emergency care education

Minimum of 30 continuing emergency care education hours in emergency care procedural skills within those 5 years

ENP OPTION 2

Completion of an academic emergency care graduate/post-graduate NP program from an accredited nursing program, OR

Completion of a dual FNP/ENP graduate/post-graduate certificate program from an accredited nursing program

ENP OPTION 3

Completion of an approved emergency fellowship program

EDs sometimes hire ACNPs but you would be limited to seeing only patients covered by your training. You can't test you way to an expanded scope of practice. Advanced practice certifications are to validate that you have a minimum knowledge required to practice but all require that you have completed an approved training program. Since you stated that you want to see adults and peds pts, you certainly want to be trained to do so and an FNP with one of the options to expand into ENP would be your best bet.

[SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP]

I would suggest doing a dual ACNP/FNP program. That way, you will be able to see all patient populations in the ED. I'm currently in the dual ACNP/FNP program at University of South Alabama. It's the best of both worlds because you still get the acute care training, but also get the peds exposure.

[Rocknurse, MSN, APRN, NP]

I graduate as an AGACNP in May. Does anyone know of any acute care NPs that work in an ER and see only adults? I'm considering going for a dual certification but want to know if I'd be hireable in an ER seeing only adults in the meantime.

[JKL33]

Rocknurse, that should be possible in any local area of a system that has a peds ED in that same local area. IOW, big places that run separate peds and adult EDs.

Not sure how it would work in a mixed ED, since the main way patients are sorted in that setting is by acuity - neither main beds nor fast track are further separate out peds/adult. They would likely be looking to hire someone who can treat all ages.

[Corey Narry, MSN, RN, NP]

I graduate as an AGACNP in May. Does anyone know of any acute care NPs that work in an ER and see only adults? I'm considering going for a dual certification but want to know if I'd be hireable in an ER seeing only adults in the meantime.

You'd have to work in settings where the ED providers only see adults. They exist in large urban areas where tertiary hospitals have separate adult and children's hospitals with their own separate ED's. One caveat though, our children's hospital has its own ED but it doesn't stop the occasional adult patient from presenting there in rare situations as is the other way around. An ED physician stabilizes and arranges transfer to the appropriate hospital.