Where can acute care pediatric nps practice

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Specializes in Pediatics, Family Practice.

I'm an FNP who has primarily practiced in pediatric subspecialties both inpatient and outpatient. I currently work in a pediatric pulmonary clinic. I mainly see patients with asthma, allergies, and cystic fibrosis. Occasionally, I do have to admit kiddos to the hospital when their conditions worsen.

Due to the concensus model and my passion for learning I have enrolled in an acute care pediatric post cert program. Prior to enrolling I discussed my preference for practicing in outpatient peds pulm with my program director. She advised me that given my current certification, getting certified as a PNP-AC would be best. I checked the PNCB website which also stated that PNP-ACs can work in outpatient specialty clinics.

I was told by a few PNP-PC colleagues that PNP-ACs can only work inpatient settings or the ER. Although I've been advised by faculty, I'm kind of confused. Would I be able to continue practicing in my current role with a PNP-AC or should I change to PNP-PC? I thought PNP-PCs mainly do out patient primary care. I welcome your thoughts.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Pure speculation but I feel you would be fine to continue working in the peds pulm clinic with your acute care certification.

I am an adult acute care NP and while I practice in the ICU. If I ever made the choice to specialize and just do adult pulmonary or even burns, I would be fine. That would include seeing patients in the inpatient and outpatient setting.

Perhaps the caveat would be that I am working as a specialist (pulm, burns, neurology)... to manage the care for those special conditions. I do not manage the patients HTN or diabetes etc, that would be a skill for their primary care physician/NP.

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Specializes in DHSc, PA-C.

**not an NP, but my thoughts**

Yes, you can keep your current job. Yes, PNP-AC should manage inpatient peds/ER, but you are also an FNP. So, you will have training for both inpatient and outpatient. I would guess that the program recommended AC because it will provide you with more new knowledge then PC. One would think the PC program would be knowledge you covered in your FNP program.

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Specializes in Pediatics, Family Practice.
On 8/11/2020 at 7:45 PM, ArmaniX said:

Pure speculation but I feel you would be fine to continue working in the peds pulm clinic with your acute care certification.

I am an adult acute care NP and while I practice in the ICU. If I ever made the choice to specialize and just do adult pulmonary or even burns, I would be fine. That would include seeing patients in the inpatient and outpatient setting.

Perhaps the caveat would be that I am working as a specialist (pulm, burns, neurology)... to manage the care for those special conditions. I do not manage the patients HTN or diabetes etc, that would be a skill for their primary care physician/NP.

Thank you for your input Dizzy!

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Specializes in Pediatics, Family Practice.
On 8/11/2020 at 7:45 PM, ArmaniX said:

Pure speculation but I feel you would be fine to continue working in the peds pulm clinic with your acute care certification.

I am an adult acute care NP and while I practice in the ICU. If I ever made the choice to specialize and just do adult pulmonary or even burns, I would be fine. That would include seeing patients in the inpatient and outpatient setting.

Perhaps the caveat would be that I am working as a specialist (pulm, burns, neurology)... to manage the care for those special conditions. I do not manage the patients HTN or diabetes etc, that would be a skill for their primary care physician/NP.

Thanks ArmaniX. Sometimes I feel that the NP role has been broken down into too many specialties? I've been an NP for almost 8 years and it's crazy how I'm confused about this. Even the descriptions of the roles on the PNCB are very similar.

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Specializes in Vascular Neurology and Neurocritical Care.

Peds ACNP can practice outpatient specialty. If you read the consensus statement and other related documents and position statements, acute care is NOT about location of the patient. It is about complex or technologically dependent patients who have serious or potentially serious illness who require high level, complex medical intervention. Such care could be in hospitals, nursing homes, specialty clinics, urgent care, etc.

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Specializes in Pediatics, Family Practice.

Thanks Neuro Guy, I didn't recall reading that in the statement. It's been a while since I looked through it!

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