MSN FNP Program Requirements: What Will I need to know Before Starting School?
The nursing profession is a calling that requires a special kind of person who has a unique mixture of competence, compassion, patience, and an instinct to nurture others. If you find that the best part of your day is working with your patients but you feel as if you would like to take a larger part in the treatment that they receive then you may want to consider a course of study that will lead to a Family Nurse Practitioner license.
What Is A Family Nurse Practitioner?
Family Nurse Practitioners are advanced Registered Nurses who serve under a physician with a specialty in primary and/or specialty health care services. Often described as the nursing version of the family doctor, Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs) work with patients for long periods to conduct regular exams, diagnose illnesses, order tests, assist in surgery, and even prescribe medications or therapies. This nursing practice can serve as a primary point of contact for all of a patient's primary care questions. The focus of an FNP is on preventative care and maintaining health throughout a patient's lifetime.
What Are The Requirements For A Family Nurse Practitioner Program?
The requirements to begin a master's program in nursing can be quite stringent and an FNP MSN is more of a capstone in nursing than a place to start. At a minimum, an applicant must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited nursing school.
Additionally, before applying they need to already be a Registered Nurse (RN) holding a state license. A number of years working as an RN is a critical component of both admissions decisions and ability to succeed in this challenging program. A number of requirements will need to be confirmed prior to admission, including transcripts and licensure certificates.
Admissions may ask for scores from standardized tests such as the GRE or MAT and composure of a well-constructed essay may also be a requirement. Depending on the program, certain prerequisites in undergraduate work may be required to be completed prior to starting in the nursing cohort.
What Will I Need To Know Before Starting An FNP Program?
While this is a rigorous program and graduation will require a high degree of academic excellence, one of the most important things to know is that graduation will only be the beginning. After graduating the program one of the largest hurdles to get over before starting work as an FNP will be acquiring National Certification.
The MSN program is designed to prepare you to meet the standards for this certification, but depending on the state in which you choose to practice you may need either American Nurse Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) certifications.
While these have discrete requirements, they both require a minimum of 500 faculty-supervised clinical hours and very specific curriculum requirements. FNPs are subject to recertification every 5 years which may carry continuing educational requirements. Those who are committed to a future as a Family Nurse Practitioner can expect a life of endless study to stay at the top of their field.
Are you ready to become a Family Nurse Practitioner? If you want to earn your Master of Science in Nursing, ECPI University offers this 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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