Nurse practitioners (NPs) are registered nurses with advanced education and training. They provide services similar to that of physicians, such as examining, diagnosing, and treating patients.
Just like physicians, NPs can choose their specialization. Let’s talk about two of the more ‘popular’ tracks: family nurse practitioner (FNP) and adult-gerontology nurse practitioner (AGNP).
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Family Nurse Practitioner
FNPs are advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) who provide primary care services to patients of all ages — from infants and kids to adults and elderly patients.
They serve as the patient’s first point of contact, making them the primary provider who goes over their health concerns. Through the work they do, FNPs are instrumental in promoting healthy living and disease prevention among their patients.
The majority of NPs — 70% to be exact — specialize in this field.
Specializations
While FNPs may care for patients of all ages, they may opt to specialize in:
- Diabetes management
- Pain management
- Chronic disease management
- Obesity management
- Integrative medicine
- Occupation health
- Telemedicine
Duties
FNPs are qualified to:
- Perform physical examinations
- Order or perform diagnostic exams
- Develop treatment plans
- Treat conditions within the scope of primary care
- Maintain patient records
- …and many more
Depending on the state, NPs may prescribe medications independently or with supervision from a physician.
Practice Settings
FNPs often work in clinics, urgent care centers, community health centers, health departments, healthcare systems, and schools/universities.
Salary
According to ZipRecruiter, the average salary of FNPs is $127,976 a year or $62/hour. About 2% of FNPs make as much as $191,000 a year.
Job Outlook
According to Johnson & Johnson, the demand for FNPs remains strong. In fact, the projected growth rate within 10 years is a whopping 45%. This is due to the aging population, coupled with the high demand for primary care providers and cost-effective healthcare.
Education
To become FNPs, RNs must gain clinical experience before enrolling in an MSN or DNP program. The former comprises 48–52 units of coursework and at least 500 clinical hours. It may be completed in as short as two years.
Most DNP-FNP programs require 69–72 hours of coursework and at least 1,000 clinical hours. They may be completed in 2–4 years, depending on the student’s course load.
APRNs who wish to become FNPs may complete their eligibility requirements by enrolling in a post-graduate program.
Credentialing
There are two options for FNPs. One is the 150-question certification exam offered by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board. Another is the FNP-BC certification exam administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
AGNPs care for adults and elderly patients. However, they are also qualified to treat patients aged 13 (adolescents) and above. Strictly speaking, the two populations that are not included in their scope of practice are infants and preadolescent children.
According to the University of Cincinnati, approximately 9% of NPs are AGNPs.
Specializations
AGNPs may choose to specialize in either acute care (AGACNP) or primary care (AGPCNP).
AGACNPs specialize in treating patients who are actively sick/injured or require short-term treatment for their current condition. As such, they often care for individuals who suffer from respiratory illnesses, heart attacks, and fractures, to name a few. Their ‘relationship’ with patients is mostly short-lived due to the ‘fleeting’ nature of their condition.
Similar to FNPs, AGPCNPs provide primary care — but only to adolescents, adults, and elderly patients. They help them manage chronic conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels, to name a few. This allows these primary care practitioners to establish a long-term relationship with their patients.
Duties
Duties vary according to the AGNP’s specialization.
AGACNPs usually track symptoms, adjust medications, work to prevent complications, and provide palliative care as needed.
Like FNPs, AGPCNPs help their patients maintain good health. They do so by assessing and diagnosing illnesses, ordering/interpreting tests, administering treatments, educating patients, and creating care plans, to name a few.
Practice Settings
AGACNPs typically work in hospitals, inpatient clinics, and surgical centers. Because of the nature of their duties, they often have irregular (if not unconventional) work hours.
AGPCNPs frequently work at clinics and campuses and as such have more predictable work hours compared to AGACNPs. They also work in:
- Outpatient care or long-term care facilities
- Home care companies
- Rehabilitation centers
- Prisons/jails
Salary
AGNPs earn considerably more than FNPs. According to ZipRecruiter, the average salary of AGNPs is $242,952 or $117/hour. Depending on experience and the location of practice, AGNPs may earn as much as $375,000.
Job Outlook
While there are no specific statistics for AGNPs, nurse practitioners in general have a job outlook of 40% from 2023-2033. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, this is much faster than average.
This promising job outlook is attributed to the physician shortage, the rising rate of chronic disease, and the increased use of telemedicine, among many other factors.
Education
RNs need to have clinical experience before enrolling in an MSN or DNP degree. APRNs, meanwhile, have the option to enroll in a post-graduate certificate program.
MSN curriculum credits range from 45–52 units, while DNP credits range from 70–80 hours. Minimum clinical hours are 500 and 1000, respectively.
MSN programs take about 2 years to complete, while it takes about 3–4 years for DNP programs.
Credentialing
AGNPs who wish to specialize in acute care may take the AG-ACNP certification exam offered by the ANCC or the ACNPC-AG exam administered by the Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN).
Those who wish to specialize in adult-gerontological primary care may take the AGPCNP-BC exam offered by the ANCC. Another option is the AGNP certification exam, as overseen by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.
Summary
FNPs attend to patients of all ages, while AGNPs are limited to caring for adolescents, adults, and elderly patients.
FNPs and AGPCNPs have somewhat similar duties, which focus on providing primary care to patients. AGACNPs focus on the care and treatment of acutely ill individuals.
Those who wish to become FNPs or AGNPs must enroll in an MSN or DNP program. Likewise, they need to pass a credentialing exam in order to be certified nurse practitioners.
Both FNPs and AGNPs expect a good career outlook in the years to come, largely due to the demand for cost-efficient healthcare.