(Aside from the generalist practitioner tract that is)
Why do they only have a seperate tract or specialty for psychiatry and nothing else? Why isnt there a seperate track or oprion to specialize in other apecialties like neurology, cardiology, endocrinology etc?
To clarify several things in this thread...
(1) The Consensus Model (circa 2012) is an attempt to standardize titling across all 50 states. APN, ANP, RNP, APRN, etc. are all titles in use depending on individual states. Many states have, or are in the process of, adopting the Consensus Model, in which the title APRN encompasses all advanced practice registered nurses, among which are the following:
-CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist)
-CNS (clinical nurse specialist)
-CNM (certified nurse midwife)
-CNP (certified nurse practitioner)
(2) Technically, CRNA's do not go back to the late 1800's, but nurses administering anesthesia do
(3) The "NP" role was first conceived by Eugene Stead (MD) at Duke in the 1950's, but he never gained the needed support from nursing organizations. He eventually abandoned the "NP" role and instead developed what are now PA's. The first formal NP program was in pediatrics and launched in Colorado in the 1960's.
(4) There are numerous formally recognized APRN specialties including:
CRNA - anesthesia
CNS - psychiatry among others
CNM - midwifery/OB
CNP - women's health, family practice, neonatal, adult primary care, adult acute care, pediatric primary care, pediatric acute care, family psych.
Adult acute care NP's mentioned above are often utilized in ER's, ICU's, and as hospitalists, as well as in many specialties, sub-specialties and surgery. Adult primary care NP's are often utilized in similar areas. FNP's are found in family practice, derm, IM, EM, women's health, hospital medicine, and working in specialty and sub-speciality. There is, however, increasingly a push for FNP's to not do hospital or sub-specialty.