If you are already reading this, then you are familiar with the terms FNP (Family Nurse Practitioners) and ACNP (Acute Care
Nurse Practitioners). Moreover, it also means that you are interested in knowing more about the difference between these two disciplines, what they are, their job responsibilities, how much you can earn with such professions, and what are the job prospects and salaries for each occupation. As we elaborate through the scope of practice of FNP and ACNP, enjoy learning and finding new information below. Nurse practitioners (NPs) are certified professionals who assess, diagnose, treat, and monitor illnesses and injuries with a high degree of independence. Each NP focuses on one of six distinct patient populations—an FNP specializes in family medicine—with additional specialization in patient healthcare and acute care roles possible within each NP emphasis. What Is an FNP?
FNP job
responsibilities
Advanced nurses work with infants, children, adolescents, adults, and older persons to provide a wide range of family-centered services. Physical exams, diagnosis, and treatment, including medication prescriptions, are all part of the FNPs’ scope of
practice. FNPs healthcare practitioners can opt to specialize within this broad field of expertise by gaining credentials in the treatment of obesity, diabetes, pain management, or other health-related disciplines.
One of the most significant services provided by FNPs is preventative care. Family nurse practitioners assist in reducing the number of recurrent emergency room visits and hospitalizations by informing patients on healthy behaviors and counseling them to follow treatment recommendations, which lowers the overall costs of medical care.
FNP education and qualifications
Registered nurses with a Master of Science in Nursing or a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree can work as family nurse practitioners. The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) declared in 2018 that by 2025, all entry-level nurse practitioner programs would have to transition their concentration from the MSN to the DNP; however, FNPs with MSN degrees will be exempted.
Potential FNPs must pass a certifying exam conducted by either the ANCC or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners after completing their academic study (AANP).
NPs who desire to get their FNP certification but have a master's degree in another NP discipline can do so by getting a postgraduate degree.
FNP job prospects and salaries
FNPs can work in hospitals, physicians' offices, community clinics, and in their own private offices. This occupation, in general, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), FNP is most likely to have an increase in employment in the couple of years to come than any other profession.
The report from Payscale family nurse practitioner wages vary depending on where they work, but the average annual compensation for an FNP is slightly over $97,000, or $46.20 per hour or $8,000 per month. The states with the highest salary for FNPs are California, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Alaska.
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What Is an ACNP?
ACNPs deal with the treatment of medical problems that appear abruptly and progress swiftly to become potentially risky. This form of specialist treatment is provided in hospital emergency departments, intensive care units, and other locations where critically sick patients are treated.
ACNP job responsibilities
Acute care nurse practitioners (ACNPs) work with children and adults who are suffering from health conditions such as cystic fibrosis, which are commonly associated with pediatric populations. Acute care nurse practitioners who are already certified can continue to renew their qualifications and further develop their specialization. ACNPs do take care of patients before and after any surgery they have undergone, and also provide therapy sessions for those who need it.
ACNP education and qualifications
Acute care nurse practice is no longer an advanced practice nursing specialty; since pediatric acute care nurse and adult-gerontology, acute care nurse practice has taken its place. ACNPs, like FNPs, must receive an MSN or DNP degree or a post-certificate master's in their chosen specialty. By 2025, the entry-level requirements for these specializations will change from MSNs to DNPs.
AG-ACNPs must pass an exam administered by the ANCC or the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) to get certified, whereas the PACNP test is administered by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCP).
ACNP job prospects and salaries
An ACNP can work in critical care units, operating rooms, and emergency departments.
Although wages are one of the variations between FNP and ACNP, the average salary difference between the two is not significant. ACNPs earn only 7% more than FNPs on average: their average annual compensation is $105,010, or roughly $50 per hour and $8,580 per month, as stated in Payscale.
Furthermore, the same report describes that in areas such as California and New York, family nurse practitioners may earn more money than acute care practitioners in some countries but that should not necessarily be an indicator when choosing your specialty.
FNP vs. ACNP: Which Should You Choose?
When drawing a comparison between these two specialties, we have to keep in mind some segments these two differ such as the scope of practice: demographic focus, professional responsibilities, work settings, salary, working hours, education, number of schools offering specialty qualifications and many others.
The work environment is one of the most significant contrasts between FNP and ACNP. ACNPs work in any unit where patients seek treatment for serious injuries or illnesses with serious conditions and a quick start. With that being said, family nurse practitioners (FNPs) offer primary care to people of all ages, whereas acute care nurse practitioners (ACNPs) offer treatment in hospitals and other institutional settings.
The degree of care they provide and the intricacy of the cases they're educated to manage are other metrics we could use to distinguish these two types of practitioners. When deciding on a speciality, most prospective nurse practitioners weigh the pros and cons of FNP and ACNP.
The main distinction between FNPs and ACNPs is that ACNPs are more concerned with the treatment of medical disorders that appear abruptly and advance swiftly into becoming potentially life-threatening. This form of specialist treatment is provided in hospital emergency departments, intensive care units, and other locations where critically sick patients are treated.
Conclusion
In the end, if working in an acute care environment that is fast-paced excites you, then the ACNP specialty is the way to go. And if the labor market is your primary prerequisite, pursuing a family nurse practitioner degree is slightly more advantageous. However, when deciding between FNP and ACNP, the best option is to pursue the field that best interests you. You know better than anyone what feels right about the occupation you want to have.