Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
The acute care nurse practitioner (ACNP) is an advanced-practice registered nurse who provides care to patients who are experiencing acute, critical, and complex episodic illnesses or injuries. The ACNP's scope of practice encompasses trauma, critical care and emergency service, as well as hospital-based specialty practices such as orthopedics, cardiology, neurology, oncology and infectious disease. The ACNP has completed a graduate-level program of specialized study that includes both didactic training and a minimum of 500 supervised clinical hours. National board certification and state licensure are subsequently required to begin independent practice. The ACNP's scope of practice includes: conducting a comprehensive history and physical exam, diagnostic reasoning, ordering and interpreting the full range of diagnostic tests, performance of invasive procedures, and prescriptive authority. The ACNP collaborates with the patient, family members, and other members of the health-care team to reach the best possible outcome for the patient.
