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What is the list of all NP specialties and sub specialties possible? Which is the best to go into? Thank you
NP Specialties
- Thread starter Medical field27
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There is no "best" - it depends on what you would prefer to do. As far as specialties:
Family NP - Generalist, can essentially be trained to do any outpatient (and occasionally inpatient, though less common) from Cardiology to Dermatology.
Psychiatric NP - Limited to psych, both inpatient and outpatient. Highly marketable and very unpopular specialty, so tends to have higher salaries and less job competition.
Acute Care NP - This is for hospital based positions, learn more about treating ICU/emergency patients, but huge limitation is that you can't see those under 18.
Pediatric NP - for those under 18, usually works both inpatient hospital and outpatient pediatrics practice
Women's Health NP - Usually works in gyno office. Good if you want to work with women's health but no necessarily pregnancy related, as that falls in the realm of a midwife.
I think that's all of them, but you can be sub specialized by different boards based on what you do, especially as an FNP. In addition, you can sometimes find interesting combo programs where you hold two different certifications. For example, an Acute Care and Family NP combo is common, and usually called an "emergency NP" program as it allows you to see all ages due to the family NP, but also have emergency training from the acute program. For surgery, you will find combo programs of FNP with RNFA (first assist) allowing you to become a surgical nurse practitioner and assist in surgery.
Family NP - Generalist, can essentially be trained to do any outpatient (and occasionally inpatient, though less common) from Cardiology to Dermatology.
Psychiatric NP - Limited to psych, both inpatient and outpatient. Highly marketable and very unpopular specialty, so tends to have higher salaries and less job competition.
Acute Care NP - This is for hospital based positions, learn more about treating ICU/emergency patients, but huge limitation is that you can't see those under 18.
Pediatric NP - for those under 18, usually works both inpatient hospital and outpatient pediatrics practice
Women's Health NP - Usually works in gyno office. Good if you want to work with women's health but no necessarily pregnancy related, as that falls in the realm of a midwife.
I think that's all of them, but you can be sub specialized by different boards based on what you do, especially as an FNP. In addition, you can sometimes find interesting combo programs where you hold two different certifications. For example, an Acute Care and Family NP combo is common, and usually called an "emergency NP" program as it allows you to see all ages due to the family NP, but also have emergency training from the acute program. For surgery, you will find combo programs of FNP with RNFA (first assist) allowing you to become a surgical nurse practitioner and assist in surgery.
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I don't know of a comprehensive list. Basically we work in almost every domain, although scope of practice varies by state. The "best" is that for which you have talent and passion.
I love family medicine and would never do anything else (except teaching, and I'd teach family medicine). I get up and can't wait to get to work every day, and every day, every patient is different, and every day I go home pleasantly tired knowing I've done some good for someone. It's the most rewarding time I've ever spent. So I'd tell you that family med is "the best." Statistics suggest not a lot of people agree.
I love family medicine and would never do anything else (except teaching, and I'd teach family medicine). I get up and can't wait to get to work every day, and every day, every patient is different, and every day I go home pleasantly tired knowing I've done some good for someone. It's the most rewarding time I've ever spent. So I'd tell you that family med is "the best." Statistics suggest not a lot of people agree.
