A Practical Guide on How to Become a Nurse Practitioner | USAHS (2023)

FAQs

A Practical Guide on How to Become a Nurse Practitioner | USAHS? ›

To become an NP, one must be a registered nurse (RN), hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), complete an NP-focused graduate master's or doctoral nursing program and successfully pass a national NP board certification exam.

To become an NP in Florida, you need to hold a valid nursing license and a master's degree. Depending on the path you take to your master's degree, it often takes about six years to qualify for the license. That includes 3-4 years to earn a bachelor's and an additional 2-3 years of study for the MSN.

APRNs deliver a particular type of care in a role such as nurse anesthetist, certified nurse midwife, clinical nurse specialist, or nurse practitioner. Nurse practitioners focus on a particular population, from the very broad family practice to the very narrow neonatal population.

The most successful nurse practitioners are highly creative in their ideas, problem-solving abilities, and communication. They seek innovative methods and solutions in their patient care, and they are early adopters of new technologies.

The biggest difference between the two medical professions is the type of schools they attend. A Doctor of Medicine (MD) goes to medical school, but a nurse practitioner does not. The amount of time they spend in training also differs between the two roles. It takes about 11 years (or more) to become a physician.

Nurse Practitioner Education

The 4-year degree must be in nursing at a minimum. After earning your BSN, you'll need to complete a master's degree program that trains nurse practitioners. These are called Nurse Practitioner (NP) degrees. NP degrees can take 2 to 4 years.

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

A DNP degree is the highest level of education in the nursing field and prepares nurses for leadership roles in their health care organizations.

Is NP higher than PA? Neither profession ranks "higher" than the other. Both NPs and PAs work in the healthcare field but with different qualifications, educational backgrounds, and responsibilities. They also work in different specialties.

As previously mentioned, FNPs are a type of advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). This means that every FNP is also an APRN. An FNP is set apart from other APRNs because they have skills needed to handle patient care at all ages, and to act as primary care providers in a clinical setting.

What is the hardest part of being a nurse practitioner? ›

As a hospitalist NP, you can expect to have one of the highest-paying nurse practitioner jobs. The average yearly wage is about $117,880. And while hourly rates vary based on region and specific hospitals, it is $56.67 on average.

Nurse practitioners are typically not as booked as doctors, and can fit patients in sooner, providing relief without long delays or wait times. Nurse practitioners see a variety of patients, meaning that their knowledge and experiences are varied and may be better suited to creating preventative care plans.

Many duties can overlap, but a nurse practitioner's role differs from a doctor's in flexibility and scope. A nurse practitioner, for example, can often be available to patients who need immediate care sooner than from a doctor, allowing nurse practitioners to serve as a frontline of defense in helping patients.

It definitely takes longer to become an MD than an NP. While there are accelerated programs for an NP license, there are very few for an MD.

The mid to late 20s is a great time to apply to NP school if you know, as a young nurse, this is the career path you want to pursue.

Becoming a Certified Nurse Practitioner isn't easy, and yes, both the AANP and ANCC certification exams are challenging — very challenging. They will take a great deal of analytical thought, clinical judgement, and preparation.

Many schools will require a 3.0 GPA to get into nurse practitioner school. Based on the type of NP program you are applying for (MSN or DNP), your GPA will be calculated from your bachelorly or master's degree coursework.

Age-Perfect! You're past the angst of the 20s, family-focused 30s, and wage-earning 40s. You'll find as an older student it's probably even easier to earn your Masters of Science in Nursing with a concentration in Nursing Education or Family Nurse Practitioner.

Is being an NP less stressful than RN? ›

More time with patients.

Despite these positives when compared to working as an RN, the NP role can be very challenging and more demanding. Their duties may be more stressful compared to RNs because nurse practitioners often manage complicated patient cases and are responsible for making higher-level decisions.

The first year (or more) students complete the RN portion of their degree. The second (and possibly third) year of the program students are prepared as nurse practitioners. This means that upon graduating you have an RN degree but will be immediately eligible for employment as a nurse practitioner.

Registered nurses need a bachelor's degree in nursing, to pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), and to obtain a state licensure to get started in the medical field. Nurse practitioners, on the other hand, must have earned a master's degree in nursing (MSN) or higher.

Most nurse practitioners will start with a bachelor's degree in nursing, then gain work experience. Finally, they will earn a graduate degree. This might include a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree.

As the name suggests, CNAs assist nurses with patient admittance and vitals. It is the lowest-level credential related to the nursing field and the quickest point of entry.

Yes, in general, physician assistant school is harder than nursing school.

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)-Prepared Practitioner

The Doctor of Nursing Practice is a terminal nursing degree, meaning that it is the highest possible practice-based degree in nursing.

Physician assistants train using the medical model, similar to physicians, which means they focus on the testing, diagnosis, and treatment of the disease that the patient has. Nurse practitioners train on the nursing model, which means they focus on the testing, diagnosis, and treatment of the patient with the disease.

APRNs can diagnose and treat disease just like an MD or a PA for the most part. At minimum, an APRN has a registered nurse license (RN), hands-on clinical experience, and a master's degree in the nursing field. APRNs are also supervised by a licensed MD.

The highest level of clinical nursing is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), which is a nurse-midwife, nurse practitioner, certified registered nurse anesthetist, or clinical nurse specialist.

Is FNP harder than nursing school? ›

Some people may find that mastering the initial concepts in Nursing school is much harder than building upon those concepts in Nurse practitioner school. On the other hand, some students find that nurse practitioner school and its advanced concepts are harder to grasp and apply in practice.

In some cases, the challenges of being a nurse practitioner include being on-call and working overtime. The long and unpredictable hours may negatively affect the nurse's family and social life. Unhappy nurse practitioners may experience burnout and dissatisfaction with their career choice.

The most stressful nursing jobs include ICU nurse, ER nurse, and NICU nurse. In these roles, nurses work in an intense environment with high stakes.

Family Nurse Practitioner or FNP is the most common Nurse Practitioner specialty, accounting for about half of all NPs – and there's good reasons for that, because FNPs are the most versatile NP certification that there is. FNP programs focus on family medicine, spanning from birth to death, ages 0-100+.

There is a wide range of salaries for nurse practitioners, from the lowest-paying city, Punta Gorda, Florida, where NPs make an average annual salary of $86,800 to the highest-paying city of San Jose, California, where the average annual salary is $197,870.

As of May 14, 2023, the average annual pay for a Nurse Practitioner in Los Angeles is $141,574 a year.

If you are considering changing careers to nursing, we explain the excellent job outlook for nurse practitioners, as the profession is expected to grow 40% in the next 10 years.

The California Association for Nurse Practitioners specifies that, while there is no California law that prohibits DNPs from being called “doctors,” other states prohibit DNPs from using that title.

What does DNP stand for? ›

A doctor of nursing practice, or DNP, and a medical degree are both earned following rigorous coursework, and both lead to or accelerate careers in the health care field.

What does FNP-C mean? The designation FNP-C means certified family nurse practitioner. The American Association of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) offers this credential.

NPs can obtain multiple degrees across multiple specialties, or they may choose to just focus on one area. Depending on your geographic region, knowledge about specialty NPs may be fairly uncommon, or a specialty certification may be the only way to get a job in a particular area.

CNPs are authorized to diagnose illnesses, treat conditions, and provide evidence-based health education to their patients. The most common specialization of an NP is as an FNP. An FNP serves the healthcare needs of individuals and families by providing comprehensive care throughout their lifespans.

A primary difference between physicians and NPs is the fact that all doctors can prescribe medication to patients as a part of their duties. Nurse practitioners also prescribe medicine, but in some states they must be directly overseen by a doctor or physician in order to do so.

After you become a nurse practitioner you will still need to go to four years of medical school and 4 years of residency if you want to be a doctor. If you are already a nurse practitioner and want to go through the process of becoming a doctor make sure that you are spending your time and money wisely.

Florida APRN applicants are required to hold an active Florida RN license or an active multistate RN license from another jurisdiction, a master's degree or post-master's certificate in a nursing clinical specialty area and national advanced practice certification from an approved nursing specialty board.

The average Nurse Practitioner salary in Florida is $114,852 as of May 01, 2023, but the range typically falls between $106,576 and $124,773.

What is the highest paid NP in Florida? ›

Nurses who introduce themselves as “Doctor Jones, a nurse practitioner,” would be subject to disciplinary action, including denial of a license.

According to the Florida Department of Health and the Florida Board of Nursing, FNPs in Florida can practice independently if they have a signed agreement with a physician. They can even have their own practices. A physician does not necessarily need to be present at the time of service.

There are currently two recognized certifying boards for NPs: The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).

Physician Assistants (PAs) and Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners (ARNPs) can prescribe controlled substances listed in Schedule II, Schedule III or Schedule IV as defined in s. 893.03 Florida Statutes, beginning January 1, 2017.

It takes between six and eight years of education to become a nurse practitioner. But how long it takes you will largely depend on your current qualifications and education level. Nurse practitioners are well-educated medical professionals with a wealth of health knowledge and patient-care experience.

Being a nurse practitioner is worth it because most NPs are highly satisfied with their career and job. In fact, U.S. News and World Report ranks nurse practitioners as the best health care job in 2022! So, if you are planning to go to school to become an NP, you can expect a pleasurable and engaging career.

As a hospitalist NP, you can expect to have one of the highest-paying nurse practitioner jobs. The average yearly wage is about $117,880. And while hourly rates vary based on region and specific hospitals, it is $56.67 on average.

The average annual salary for a Nurse Practitioner is $118,040. The bottom 10% of average annual NP salaries is $79,470. The top 10% is $163,350 per year. The median annual wage for a Nurse Practitioner is $120,680.

Where is the highest paid Nurse Practitioner? ›