In many cases, the responsibilities of an acute care nurse are similar to those of a doctor. An acute care nurse practitioner (ACNP) has a master’s degree in nursing and, within certain parameters, provides much of the same primary care to patients as a doctor. A physician completes the operation when his or her acute care surgery skills and knowledge have been exhausted.
Acute care is a type of medical treatment that takes place in a hospital for a short period of time, either as an in-patient or as an out-patient. Out-patients have appointments at hospitals for day surgery only and return home afterward, whereas in-patients have appointments at hospitals for day surgery only and return home afterward. Patients in acute care require medical services that cannot be provided in a doctor’s office. Acute care nurses work in hospital emergency rooms, rehabilitation units, and mental health facilities, among other places.
This type of nurse performs physical examinations on patients and orders diagnostic tests. He or she is in charge of supervising the testing team and interpreting test results. Nurses make diagnoses and talk to patients about their conditions and treatment options. They might work on patient education modules or instruct medical interns at teaching hospitals.
Due to the advanced levels of nursing associated with this credential, ACNP duties at teaching hospitals tend to be quite extensive. In a teaching hospital setting, a nurse frequently conducts research while also providing full-time leadership. He or she is frequently in charge of research teams as well as patient care procedures.
An ACNP’s main responsibility is to assist patients in managing their symptoms as well as their overall medical situation. Acute care nurses prescribe medications and educate patients on how to take them. They keep track of patients’ progress and, when necessary, refer them to community physical or mental health programs. Nurses can prescribe treatment and provide follow-up care; however, some treatments, such as complex surgical procedures, require the assistance of a doctor.
A general surgery acute care nurse practitioner assists surgeons by planning appropriate patient care using his or her knowledge of the specific surgery. An ACNP who specializes in pain management can help anesthesiologists as well as prescribe pain medication to patients.
Many ACNPs begin their careers as registered nurses (RNs) before pursuing a graduate degree and certification in acute care. Some nurse practitioners pursue both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in nursing simultaneously. ACNP salaries are typically much higher than those of other types of nurses due to their extensive training and knowledge.