Acute Care Vs. Family Nurse Practitioner

Acute care and family nurse practitioners provide advanced nursing care to patients in distinct settings.

Nurse practitioners are registered nurses who have completed additional training and educational requirements to be certified as advanced practice nurses. Two areas of specialization for nurse practitioners are acute care and family health.

Definitions

Acute care nurse practitioners are trained to provide medical care to patients that traditionally would have been provided by physicians in an acute care setting, such as hospital emergency departments, intensive care units and trauma centers. Family nurse practitioners, on the other hand, perform more the role of a general practitioner, overseeing patient care for acute and chronic conditions and providing health promotion and education to patients.

Education and Certification Requirements

Both acute care and family nurse practitioners must complete at least a master's degree in advanced practice nursing, and some employers may require graduation from a doctor of nursing practice program. The American Nurses Credentialing Center offers distinct certification exams for acute care and family nurse practitioners.

Job Duties

Acute care nurse practitioners treat patients with complex, critical illness and are responsible for performing examinations, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests, and following patients' responses to therapy. Family nurse practitioners work in clinics and non-acute settings, treat patients with non-life-threatening conditions, and help those with chronic illness like diabetes to manage their conditions.

References

• Mayo Clinic: Nurse Practitioner Career Overview
• American Journal of Critical Care: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Practice
• American Nurses Credentialing Center: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
• Indiana University: Master of Science in Nursing Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
• University of Texas Arlington: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

Resources

• The Frontier School of Midwifery & Family Nursing: Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
• American Nurses Credentialing Center: Family Nurse Practitioner
• All Nursing Schools: Nurse Practitioner (NP) Schools and Programs