After achieving your goal of becoming a registered nurse (RN), you may think that this is the end of your classroom work and the top of your career. However, there are other in-demand nursing opportunities available. One option is to return to school for your advanced nursing degree, such as a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN).
Have you considered becoming a family nurse practitioner (FNP)? Do you want to learn more about what it would take? There are many places you may be starting from, but it is important that you take your time and consider all the aspects of an advanced nursing degree.
Before making a decision about going back to school, make sure that you are informed about the following:
- The differences between an RN and an FNP.
- How to become an FNP.
- The demand for FNPs.
The differences between an RN and an FNP
An FNP generally has more privileges than an RN. These privileges depend on the state in which you are licensed and working. According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 96.2% of nurse practitioners prescribe medications and can prescribe in all 50 states. An FNP can see patients in a similar way to that of a family doctor, but with a few limitations.
In almost half of the US, a nurse practitioner has full practice authority and does not need oversight of patient care. In the remaining areas, there is reduced or restricted practice, meaning that a doctor would need to sign off on decisions about patient care.
Many nurse practitioners practice in a doctor’s office alongside the doctors who work there. They receive support from nurses just as a doctor would, but have more autonomy in their practice. They will typically read and interpret test results, whereas an RN would be limited to reading only.
Overall, a nurse practitioner has more responsibilities than an RN. According to CVS, a nurse practitioner is qualified to:
- Diagnose and treat common illnesses, minor injuries, and certain chronic health conditions.
- Get and review patients’ medical history.
- Give patients advice on general health, nutrition and lifestyle changes.
- Order, perform and interpret medical tests.
- Perform physical exams and health screenings.
- Prescribe medication when medically appropriate.
- Refer patients to other providers and specialists.
The extra training that you receive with your additional degree will prepare you to move from your role as an RN to a nurse practitioner.
Along with more scope will come more responsibilities, which may include duties that are less common as an RN, such as being on call for patients at all hours. This will be dependent on the office you work out of, and you could have a rotation with other nurse practitioners and doctors there.
How to become an FNP
A nurse practitioner does not need to spend as long in school as a doctor, but more than an RN, allowing those who would like to see patients to do so without as much cost or time. This can be a cost and time-saving option for anyone looking to become a family physician or for a nurse to expand their skills.
For an RN to become a nurse practitioner, they would need to achieve a postgraduate degree, such as an MSN or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), along with a specialty such as an FNP. Once all degree requirements have been met, you must sit for a national certification board exam and pass it to become licensed.
The most important information to know is that to become a nurse practitioner, you must already have your Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and have passed your NCLEX to become an RN. It doesn’t matter if you did it yesterday or five years ago, as long as you are still licensed as an RN and have your bachelor’s degree.
It is important that before you start your path, you find out more about how to become an FNP from the school to make sure that it is the right fit for you and your skills. Marymount University offers a career path to becoming an FNP that is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Marymount University also offers placement for clinicals (requirements vary by state), taking the hassle out of finding one on your own. The team will help place you with a preceptor that may be a doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician’s assistant, giving you opportunities to learn different aspects of the role.
There are also several organizations, from regional to national, that will help support you in your career. These organizations will keep you up to date on changes and reforms, and may also have meetings or conferences for you to attend to network, learn, or discuss ideas. This can help you build a network of people in your field for further support outside of the organization and to maintain dialogue about the profession.
The amount of time spent becoming an FNP will vary based on how long your registered nursing program took, and whether you attended full-time or part-time. Generally, pursuing your post-graduate degree in nursing will take two to three years. Once you have achieved the degree and met all the requirements, you can then schedule and sit your FNP exam.
It should also be taken into account that clinicals will be a large part of your journey. Clinical hours will range from 500 hours to 700 hours to gain the experience needed to treat patients. This is a time-consuming but necessary part of your education path, similar to that of your registered nursing path.
There is another option for nurse practitioners to change their specialty. If you already have your MSN, then you can get your certificate for family practice in as little as 20 months. Choosing your path is important, but understanding the amount of time and effort it will take should be an essential factor in your decision.
While an MSN is required to become a nurse practitioner, you do have the option of expanding your knowledge even further to a DNP. In some cases, you can achieve your MSN as part of the same program of achieving your DNP, making it a more seamless path. Whichever path you choose, an advanced nursing degree is necessary.
The demand for FNPs
If you have tried to make an appointment for primary care recently, you may have noticed that your appointment could only be scheduled much further out than you expected. You may have even had to see a different provider or go to another facility altogether to be seen sooner. This shows the high demand for FNPs.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had an effect on the increase in demand, but even without this, there is a need for family care across the US. The ability to see and treat broadly while maintaining a relationship with the patient is highly valued and sought after. Patients like to develop a relationship with their caregivers and keep it as long as possible.
As with other professions in the healthcare field, there is a high demand for nurse practitioners. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that the job outlook for 2021 to 2031 is expected to increase by 40%, faster than the average. The BLS further notes that this is an expectation of more than 30,000 jobs per year in this decade. There is also a low unemployment rate for this field of 1.2%.
This is a highly positive outlook for any career. Part of this increase is normal and because of people retiring or leaving the field, while the large majority of this need is due to the increased demand.
This growth far outpaces the outlook for RNs, which is only at 6% for the same timeframe. This means that you would have more opportunities as a nurse practitioner than as an RN in the next 10 years. The salary expectation is also higher for a nurse practitioner.
With this highly positive career outlook spanning the next 10 years, it is safe to say that there is time to return to school and become a nurse practitioner and still enter a job market with a need for your role.
For FNPs specifically, this primary care specialty is always in demand. FNPs are the first caregiver that many people see for an issue outside of urgent care and hospitals. The FNP would be needed to manage the long-term care of patients.
However, there are other specialties for nurse practitioners who are in demand. This leaves many options to choose from for anyone who pursues this career path. An FNP would be the broadest option, allowing you to see and treat more patients with a wide variety of ailments or for physicals.
An FNP also has a wide range of patients’ ages that they treat. Not limited to pediatrics, the FNP can see patients at any age, making them an ideal choice for entire families. It also means that you, as the FNP, will be exposed to more knowledge-building opportunities that you can take to treat other patients.
The FNP is well versed in many areas thanks to their advanced nursing degree. The degree path follows your specialty of family care and ensures that you are ready for your licensure exams and to see patients.
Conclusion
For anyone ready to take the next step in their nursing career into a high-demand field while building on the knowledge they already have, an advanced nursing degree may be the next step. This career move not only opens more doors for your location, but there is also an increase in pay and responsibility that expands your patient care.
With many specialties to choose from when becoming a nurse practitioner, family practice is the most diverse and constantly in need. This broad specialty allows for many experiences, along with a wide support system to help you constantly learn and stay up to date on the most recent information, guidelines and technology.
As an FNP, you would also have access to organizations that allow you to voice your thoughts on the field and influence changes. In addition, networking across the sector to find support from colleagues is also very helpful, especially when you are just starting out and may be looking for a mentor.
An advanced nursing degree can help you achieve your goals of increased autonomy in patient care and better pay, while enabling you to stay in demand in any economy or location. Put your time and energy into working on your career goals.
Whichever specialty you choose, an advanced nursing degree is needed to become a nurse practitioner. This means more school and experience to achieve your goals. However, as stated previously, it is less than that of a doctor, making a career as a nurse practitioner a shorter and less expensive option to pursue your career goals.
It is a big decision to make, and you have many things to consider, but achieving your advanced nursing degree can be a rewarding and challenging career choice. If patient care is important to you and your desire to be able to do more with your nursing degree and license, then an advanced nursing degree may be the right decision for you.
