How Difficult is it to Become a Nurse Practitioner?
There are many levels of nurse education and proficiency. At the top of the hierarchy are Nurse Practitioners (NPs), or Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs), to be more precise. These experts have typically worked in the nursing field for some time. A nurse practitioner provides direct patient care to individuals, their families, and the community.
What Is a Nurse Practitioner?
Maybe you've heard of nurse practitioners, but weren't sure of the range of their duties. As licensed clinicians, they help manage people's health and prevent disease. They are often advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), and may specialize in a number of areas, including pediatric, women's health, adult-gerontological, cardiovascular health, oncology, or dermatology. Generally they have at least a master's degree; some have an advanced degree called a doctor of nursing practice (DNP).
Studies show patients are often more satisfied with the quality of care they receive from NPs than under doctors, as patients need fewer ER visits, fewer preventable hospitalizations, and fewer hospital readmissions, than do patients under the care of doctors.
What Does It Take to Become a Nurse Practitioner?
Nurse practitioners typically begin as registered nurses (RNs). While you may reach this goal in several ways, most RNs earn an associate or bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher learning, such as a four-year university, a community college, or a vocational college.
Prospective RNs with a non-nursing bachelor's degree sometimes enroll in an accelerated program, leading to credentials as a registered nurse. Yet another path is to earn credentials as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) before becoming an RN.
Regardless of the path you choose, you must pass a standardized national examination (the NCLEX) and obtain a state license to practice nursing.
NPs generally must have a master's degree in nursing, but a bachelor's degree is typically a prerequisite for graduate studies. While most prospective NPs major in nursing, they may have majors in related fields. Most bachelor's degree programs include a clinical component, as well as courses to teach skills in management, community health, supervision, communication, and research.
If you are a recent high school graduate the most direct route to an immediate, post-secondary role in nursing would be to pursue a bachelor of science in nursing degree. Be advised, however, that many nurses earn associate degrees in nursing first, and hold off on pursuing a bachelor's degree until they gain work experience in the field.
Another option for RNs is to go for an RN-to-BSN program. The length of this program will depend on whether you continue working while doing the coursework. LPNs may also participate in LPN-to-BSN programs.
Graduate Requirements
As noted above, to be an NP you will need a graduate degree in nursing. Depending on the school you enroll in, you may also need a few years of experience in nursing to qualify for a particular program. Typically, NPs earn a master of science in nursing (MSN) degree at minimum; however, many NPs are going on to earn the DNP mentioned above, or a PhD in a related field -- particularly if they want to advance to nursing education, research, or health care administration. These graduate programs usually offer in-depth study of medical ethics, anatomy, diagnosis, and other advanced topics.
The curriculum will likely follow the course of study for an APRN, but with specialized NP training. Your graduate studies will include both classroom and clinical training, with courses in physiology, pharmacology, and anatomy, as well as courses in your area of specialization, such as pediatrics, gerontology, health systems management, or family or primary care.
Online Education
With nearly 6 million Americans enrolled in distance education courses, it's not surprising that nursing figures prominently as the second-most common major for online students. An online NP degree offers the potential student many benefits, including reduced travel time, flexible scheduling, and lower costs in that the student can live at home and not expend money on room and board or commuting.
Interested in Becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner?
If you want to grow your role as a nurse and earn a Master of Science in Nursing, ECPI University is here to help. Offering the Family Nurse Practitioner specialization, you could earn your degree completely online with our accelerated program. For more information about this exciting degree, connect with a friendly admissions counselor today.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
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