How to Become an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

Acute care nurse practitioners (ACNPs) care for patients with acute conditions who need immediate attention. There are various paths to becoming an ACNP, all of which include earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing and either a master’s or doctorate.

Commonly employed in emergency rooms, intensive care and trauma units, and operating rooms, ACNPs earn a higher-than-average salary while benefiting from the increased demand for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). ACNPs typically also work as hospitalists.

Detailed throughout this guide is an overview of the educational requirements, licensure and certification prerequisites, and career outlook for ACNPs.

An ACNP is an advanced practice registered nurse who specializes in the care of patients with acute illnesses or chronic conditions. They are responsible for examining, diagnosing, and treating patients with severe short-term healthcare needs or those with chronic issues that are life-threatening.

Specific responsibilities of an acute care NP career include coordinating patient care, assessing the patient’s health history, ordering tests, performing procedures, and prescribing medication. They perform these tasks in emergency rooms, operating rooms, critical care units, trauma units, intensive care units (ICUs), and transplant units.

There are various steps necessary for those interested in becoming an ACNP. While specific criteria may differ depending on the location, the basic requirements remain similar from one place to the next.

Before becoming an ACNP, nurses need to fulfill certain academic and professional requirements. An advanced nursing degree, direct experience as a nurse, and certification are all needed.

Becoming an ACNP requires nurses to earn an advanced education consisting of both an undergraduate (BSN) and graduate degree (MSN or DNP).

The educational process can take six years to complete for students who enroll full time. These six years do not include time necessary to build the experience needed to enroll in an MSN program, which is usually an additional year or two.

The first educational option for nurses looking to become ACNPs is enrolling in a graduate program where they will earn their MSN.

While the earning potential of an ACNP with an MSN is not as high as one with a doctor of nursing practice (DNP), the master’s program allows nurses to earn their degree with fewer credits. This allows them to complete the program and enter the field faster than their DNP counterparts.

To legally work as an ACNP, nurses will need to maintain their RN license while also gaining their APRN license. Nurses also must get the proper ACNP board certification in the specialty of their choosing after completing their MSN or DNP program.

RN license renewal processes vary by state, yet most require a set amount of contact hours. While some regions do not require contact hours, most require around 24-30 hours.

Certain areas require that some of those hours be spent focusing on specific nursing-related subject matter. The majority of states require RNs to meet these criteria every two years, but the time can range from every year to every four years.

To maintain their APRN license, advanced practice nurses including ACNPs must complete 1,000 practice hours and a certain amount of continuing education hours every five years.

ACNPs must also choose from three specializations in which to become nationally certified. Options includeACNPC-AG from the AACN,AGACNP from the ANCC, andCPNP-AC from the PNCB.

All specialty options require completing a graduate-level program with a focus on the chosen specialization. It also requires passing the national certification exam. These certifications must be renewed every five years, except for the CPNP-AC which must be renewed annually.

Certification renewal includes the following:

ACNPs benefit from a high earning potential with an anticipated job growth rate faster than all other fields. While the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not track ACNPs specifically, they project that all NP positions will increase by 45% by 2030.

Combined with an average annual salary of $105,450 as of May 2022 as per Payscale, the specialization can be a promising nursing option.

There are various factors that influence the salary of an ACNP such as experience and location. As ACNPs gain more experience, they can expect their salary to increase. Those who have 10-20 years of experience can earn $20,000 more than what most nurses earn in their first year, according to Payscale in May 2022.

An ACNP’s salary is also influenced by their location. States such as California and New Jersey earn an average annual salary of $151,830 and $137,010 respectively, which is higher than the national average of $118,040.

The length of time it takes to become an ACNP depends on the person’s educational path. Prospective nurses who follow the traditional path, which includes earning their BSN followed by their MSN, can become an ACNP in 6-8 years. Those pursuing their DNP finish in 8-10 years.

ACNPs are required to become certified in one of three specializations to legally practice in any state. Their options include the ACNPC-AG certification, AGACNP certification, or CPNP-AC certification, each of which requires an MSN and the completion of a national certification exam.

With the amount of education needed to become an ACNP, the path can be challenging both academically and financially. However, nursing students have many financial aid options for nurses, including MSN scholarships, that can help with the cost.

Nurses can also take advantage of part-time programs, which allow them to work while enrolled in courses.

Compared to some of the other major specialties, ACNPs fall right into the middle with an average salary of $105,450. In comparison, according to Payscale in May 2022, women’s health NPs earn $96,590, family NPs earn $98,030, neonatal NPs earn $110,330, and psychiatric-mental health NPs earn $113,110.

Page last reviewed May 22, 2022