AGNP vs FNP: Duties, Certification, & Education
The role of nurses in healthcare is enormous. They are a necessary part of every facility, where patients require their care as the first people they meet when in distress. Nurses are responsible for more than just the physical care of the patient, as they can deal with everything, from psychological needs to cultural-related ones. That being said, not every nurse has the same job description. There are different types of nurses, and two of those types are AGNP and FTN nurses which will be explored more here.
What Are Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioners?
The AGNP meaning, that is adult-gerontology nurse practitioner, bears important duties with a clinical focus on taking care of patients from adolescence into adulthood and old age. Adult-gerontology nurse practitioners are divided into two specialties; acute and primary care. They both take care of patients, just in two different ways, that being by taking care of the patient in healthcare facilities such as hospitals or caring about a person throughout their entire adult life.
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Job description
Acute care focuses on illness., working mostly in hospital settings treating ill patients. They may work in ICU as well as emergency departments due to the nature of the job. Adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioners (AG-PCNPs), in contrast, focus more on preventing illnesses and promoting health. These are the type of nurses who work a lot with underserved communities in such places as community clinics or doing private practice. They make health assessments based on collected data of health histories from a specific group of people.
Duties and responsibilities
All nurses have a duty to be compassionate and to work carefully and personally with patients in order to figure out the best solutions. AGNPs have a responsibility to the patient to treat health issues and ensure they are getting the best treatment. That means being there through the toughest of times to help while being mentally tough enough to deal with how patients respond to diagnoses and treatments.
AGNPs also typically deal with stabilizing the patient’s condition, restoring health, and preventing complications.
Adult-gerontology nurse practitioner salary
The average annual AGNP salary in the US is $96.860. Comparatively, the US Census Bureau reports that the annual average salary of American citizens for the year 2019 was $35.977, indicating that the salary for AGNP far exceeds this average.
How Do I Become an AGNP?
Registered Nurses (RN) can become AGNPs after acquiring further certification. The first step to becoming an AGNP is to to enroll in an accredited master’s or doctoral program. Upon completion, nurses can take approved exams to gain the proper board certification to become AGNPs.
AGNP education & training
AGNP must have at the minimum an MSN (Master of Science in Nursing) degree to work professionally. Bridge programs also exist to save some time in studying with flexible online classes. AGNPs are trained around community-based care, in dealing with patients of all ages and specific needs.
AGNP certification
In order to be awarded the title AGPCNP, after having obtained an MSN, taking and passing the certified exam, the ANCC board will give you AGNP certification. Applying for the test can be done at any time of the year. It is a 3.5-hour test with 175 questions. Passing this exam means direct AGPCNP certification.
The ACNPC-AG is the board that certifies acute care nurses who take care of young adults, adults, and senior citizens in need. Candidates who apply must be graduates from a graduate-level of advanced practice education program, at a nationally accredited school.
What Are Family Nurse Practitioners?
FNPs or family nurse practitioners are one of the most common primary care providers. They provide personal and continuous care for those in need regardless of age. FNPs serve both individuals and families with long-term services, while building caring relationships with the patients.
Job description
A family nurse practitioner’s job is to perform physical exams, perform diagnostic tests, prescribe medication, and treat acute or chronic illnesses.
Duties and responsibilities
FNPs duties include recording patient’s medical histories and maintaining those records, routine physicals, order diagnostic tests, prescribe medications, and more. They have a responsibility to provide the patients with the necessary care and that for the long haul.
Family nurse practitioner salary
Payscale reports that the median annual salary for FNPs is $96.942. Though sometimes salaries depend on a couple of factors such as region, type of facility, and experience.
How Do I Become an FNP?
Firstly, the road to becoming an FNP starts with an undergraduate nursing degree. Afterward, this degree will allow you to take the NCLEX-EN exam. That and gaining lots of experience in the healthcare field sets you up for the educational route to becoming an FNP. Lastly, graduating from a Family Nurse Practitioner program, which then prepares you for certification, will end your journey at the desired end.
FNP education & training
FNP students learn to be aware of the economical, legal, and ethical issues in correlation to healthcare. Additionally, they learn how to design and operationalize system changes that directly impact healthcare services. Training in diversity planning and implementing better healthcare plans is also part of being an FNP student.
FNP certification
Graduating from an FNP program qualifies you to take one of the two exams to gain certification. Passing either the AANP or ANCC exam qualify you to apply to become a state-certified FNP.
Which Career Should You Choose?
When thinking about AGNP vs FNP in the context of choosing a career path, you should consider a couple of things first. If you look forward to working with older, slightly more mature patients, becoming an adult-gerontology NP could be the path for you. Whereas, being an FNP offers a more focused and long-term familiar care. All in all, they are both incredibly important jobs that should be taken seriously and treated with the utmost respect.
Ultimately, caring about people in need is a noble profession that not a lot of people can do. Hence, choosing either one of these two career paths means that you are willing to sacrifice for the greater good of the people, and that is no small feat. Getting the proper education and the necessary experience is key to making the right decision for your future and being comfortable with it.