Acute Care NP Career Overview

Acute care nurse practitioners serve as a crucial communication link for all healthcare professionals. ACNPs determine the direction of patient care for acutely and critically ill patients. Their duties include making life-saving decisions in fast-paced environments. ACNP responsibilities typically require performing intubation, managing care, and (in some circumstances) prescribing medications. While ACNPs may work long shifts, the work can be rewarding.

ACNPs treat people of all ages suffering from a wide variety of acute conditions in the hospital setting. These may include serious trauma or injury and neurological, respiratory, cardiac, gastrointestinal, gynecologic, or psychiatric issues that require urgent medical or surgical intervention. Depending on the setting, ACNPs may prepare patients for surgery or evaluate patients during their rounds. Most work as part of a team, collaborating with physicians and other healthcare providers to deliver care.

Acute care nurse practitioners work wherever patients need critical or acute care. According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), most practitioners deliver acute and critical treatment in hospitals. AANP’s National NP Sample Survey reports that 14.4% of ACNPs work in outpatient facilities and 13.3% in the inpatient setting.

Acute care nurse practitioners earn certification to work in specialized areas of healthcare. Specializations include pediatric acute care and adult-gerontology acute care. Certified pediatric and adult-gerontology ACNPs, respectively, represent 0.8% and 3.4% of certified NPs.

Full-time ACNPs reported a median annual salary of $120,000. Earning potential varied by specialty with both adult-gerontology and pediatric ACNPs making a base salary of $112,000.

ACNPs can anticipate a strong career outlook with employment projected to grow by 45% from 2019 to 2029, significantly greater than the 7% projected employment growth for RNs and the 4% growth projected for all other occupations over this same period.

With education and training, it can take 6-8 years to become an ACNP. All ANCPs need to earn their bachelor’s degree, which takes a minimum of four years. Many work for 1-2 years to gain nursing experience before earning a master’s degree, a two-year endeavor. The certification process may require additional continuing education hours.

Both FNPs and ACNPs hold graduate degrees and certifications. However, FNPs provide primary long-term care, whereas ACNPs treat patients with critical healthcare issues. Additionally, FNPs usually serve a wide variety of patients, while ACNPs specialize in specific populations such as children and adolescents.

Yes. ACNPs can work in ERs. Employers need ACNPs who have certification to work with patients of all ages, including children.

Yes. ACNPs perform a variety of life-sustaining medical procedures. Whereas certain states regulate if RNs can intubate patients, ACNPs who have been trained can intubate patients to save their life.