Some nurses may want to become an acute care nurse practitioner (ACNP). Working with patients recovering from surgery, a sudden illness or an injury may be a fulfilling and rewarding career choice. Keep reading to learn how to become an ACNP, what career paths are open to these elite nurse practitioners and more.
Nursing@Georgetown delivers Georgetown University’s MS in Nursing program online, preparing RNs with a BSN to pursue certification in an APRN specialty. Students can earn their degree in as few as 23 months.
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An ACNP program provides instruction on how to care for patients recovering from an injury, surgery or severe illness. An acute care nurse career may mean working in an emergency room helping patients as they arrive for help or in an ambulatory care unit helping patients recover from serious health conditions. As an ACNP, you will be responsible for assessing patients, preparing and executing daily care plans, and communicating with patients, their families, and other members of each patient’s care team.
If you already have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), the next step in pursuing an acute care nurse career is obtaining a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). Choosing an online MSN program may be a good opportunity for working nurses to expand their professional skill set and open the door to exciting new career paths. A flexible online MSN program means you may be able to keep working while completing coursework on your own schedule.
Acute care nurse practitioners work in health care settings that rely on high-tech equipment and skilled support staff to treat patients. As an ACNP, you may find yourself in a wide variety of work settings, such as:
If you are looking for an advanced nursing degree career with numerous future job prospects, becoming an ACNP could be an excellent option. The projected job growth for nurse practitioners is 52% through 2029, which is much faster than average, according to data on employment in nursing from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In other words, demand for ACNPs is expected to surpass supply for many years to come. Possessing the specialized skill set necessary to be an ACNP may put you at an advantage when you decide to apply for a job, switch positions or relocate to a new city in the future.
Specializing in a high-needs field may set you apart from other job applicants. Plus, specialized ACNP positions may pay more than generalist positions. If there is a concentration that appeals to you, consider gaining specialized training and experience in that field.
Many factors can have an impact on an ACNP’s salary, including:
As of May 2019, the median annual salary for advanced practice registered nurses was $115,800, according to data on job pay from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is more than double the median wage for all occupations, which was $53,490 at that time. Keep in mind that this average salary calculation includes some of the most advanced, highest paying nursing jobs available: nurse anesthetists and nurse midwives.
Choosing a specialization may have an effect on your potential nursing salary as an ACNP. Two specializations that will see high demand across the country for the foreseeable future are pediatric and adult gerontology acute care. Those positions are highlighted below.
If you enjoy working with children, consider specializing in pediatric acute care. A pediatric acute care nurse practitioner job means monitoring young patients recovering from illness or surgery and working with the patient’s care team to develop a recovery plan. While overseeing delivery of care to the patient, you may also communicate the details of that plan to the patient’s family. Finding creative ways to keep pediatric patients comfortable and engaged can be the most challenging, yet rewarding, part of your day as a pediatric acute care nurse.
A national shortage of pediatric care specialists should result in high demand and solid job security for those who choose a pediatric ACNP specialization, according to an article on nursing shortages by the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners.
An adult gerontology nurse practitioner job involves working with adults and senior citizens who are living with chronic conditions and dealing with challenges unique to older populations. Gerontology ANCPs help patients improve their quality of life in many ways. A gerontology ACNP may assist during a patient’s surgical procedure or monitor the patient’s recovery after the surgery. A gerontology ACNP will make sure patients and their families understand post-surgery care plans and medication schedules. Gerontology ACNPs may also advise patients to make lifestyle changes to lose weight and reduce their chances of developing obesity-related health conditions.
Demand for medical personnel specializing in senior care is expected to increase by 14.2% through 2024 because of the growing and aging population in the United States.
If you are willing to relocate to launch a successful acute care nursing career, consider pursuing ACNP jobs in high-demand, high-salary areas. Below is a list of American cities with aging populations, which will lead to growing demand for skilled adult geriatric ACNPs.
The aging population percentages come from a Business Insider report, while the annual median salaries come from CareerOneStop data.
| City | Percentage of population aged 60 years or older | Annual median nurse practitioner salary |
|---|---|---|
Grants Pass, Oregon | 34.3% | $119,580 |
Homosassa Springs, Florida | 46.2% | $100,660 |
Hot Springs, Arkansas | 32% | $100,100 |
Lake Havasu City, Arizona | 39.4% | $111,110 |
Palm Bay, Florida | 32.1% | $100,560 |
Prescott, Arizona | 41% | $109,650 |
Salisbury, Maryland | 32.2% | $107,910 |
Sebring, Florida | 42.9% | $117,910 |
Sierra Vista, Arizona | 30.5% | $105,340 |
Money isn’t everything, but a good salary is a high priority for many job-seekers. The five states with the highest mean wage for nurse practitioners, according to 2019 wage data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, are:
| State | Annual Mean Wage |
|---|---|
California | $138,660 |
Washington | $126,920 |
Hawaii | $124,000 |
New Jersey | $123,810 |
Minnesota | $122,850 |
Are you more concerned about a successful job search and future job security? The BLS reports that these five states have the highest concentration of nurse practitioner jobs:
| State | Employment per thousand jobs | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|
Mississippi | 3.01 | $110,740 |
Tennessee | 2.61 | $96,510 |
Maine | 2.27 | $106,960 |
Kansas | 2.00 | $100,550 |
Alabama | 1.92 | $99,570 |
Not sure if a career as an acute care nurse practitioner is right for you? There are numerous advanced nursing career options available today. Explore graduate programs that will lead to an exciting career in a related field, such as:
You may find that working as an acute care nurse practitioner is a challenging, rewarding and fulfilling career path. Whatever area of health care you’re most interested in, an ACNP credential can get you started in this chosen field.
In preparation for this new career path, you have many online MSN programs to choose from. One or more of these master’s programs may fit with your work schedule, family needs and other commitments.
Nursing@Georgetown delivers Georgetown University’s MS in Nursing program online, preparing RNs with a BSN to pursue certification in an APRN specialty. Students can earn their degree in as few as 23 months.
SPONSORED
Last Updated December 2020