Become a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
Learn about the many opportunities for family nurse practitioners.
The Basics
What you'll do: You'll handle duties commonly performed by a physician, often partnering with patients throughout the family life cycle. You'll offer education and counseling as well as tests and procedures and be trained to provide a wide range of care to a diverse group of patients. You'll focus on health promotion and disease prevention beginning in childhood and continuing throughout the aging process, and diagnose and develop treatment plans for acute and chronic diseases.
Where you'll work: Clinics, private offices, hospice centers, nurse-managed health centers, schools, homes
Degree you'll need to practice: Master's degree and certification by your State Board of Nursing
Average annual salary: $59,455 - $96,578
Required Education for Family Nurses
FNPs are nurse practitioners (NPs) with a specialty in family medicine.
Most family nurse practitioners spend their early years as RNs or BSNs then go back to school to earn their master's degree and become an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN). APNs are specialized nurses with masters or doctorate level training that deliver services that are commonly delivered by physicians. In addition to FNP, here are three other titles that APNs can earn:
- Certified Nurse Anesthetist — Administer anesthesia to surgery patients
- Certified Nurse Midwife — Provide prenatal care and deliver babies
- Clinical Nurse Specialist — Provide basic or specialized care
If you would like to become a family nurse practitioner, you will need a Master of Science in Nursing degree. Then you must become certified by your State Board of Nursing or receive a national certification offered by a variety of agencies, including the American Nurses Credentialing Center and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.
Source: PayScale.com, 2011
Family Nursing Perks at a Glance
Salary Benefits
Salary.com states that NPs make nearly $20,000 more per year in base salary than RNs, nation-wide (for more information on nursing salaries, see our nursing salary survey report.)
An In-Demand Job
The demand for family nurse practitioners is expected to increase significantly over the next ten years (see our information on the current nursing shortage.)
How do FNPs Differ From RNs?
- The Ability to Write Prescriptions – The most widely publicized difference between RNs and FNPs is the fact that family nurse practitioners can prescribe procedures and medications to their patients without supervision.
- A Broader Scope of Practice – Family nurses can also order and perform a variety of diagnostic procedures, as well as conduct physical examinations including well-woman services and school-mandated sports physicals.