Nurse Practitioner Programs
Nurse Practitioner Career Overview
Nurse Practitioners, also know as Advance Practice Nurses (APN's) provide care very similar to that of a physician and generally work in collaboration with physicians. Nurse Practitioners are licensed by the state in which they practice, and have a board certification often through ANCC - American Nurses Credentialing Center in their area of practice. As a Nurse Practitioner, you can choose to specialize in an area of study they desire. Some of the most common areas include Family Practice, Pediatrics and Geriatrics. Nurse practitioners may treat both acute and chronic conditions, as well as prescribe medications and therapies for the patient at hand.
An NP can serve as a patient's regular health care provider and see patients of all ages depending on their designated scope of practice. They practice in various settings including physician offices, hospitals, community health clinics, home health services, nursing homes, and more. The core philosophy of the field is providing individualized care. As a nurse practitioner, you will focus on patients' conditions as well as the effects of illness on the lives of the patients and their families. NP's make prevention, wellness, and patient education priorities.
Education for Nurse Practitioner
To be licensed as a nurse practitioner, one must first complete the education and licensure to become an RN. This means obtaining your associate degree in nursing (ADN) or your Bachelor's in Nursing (BSN) and your RN licensure. The next step from here is to gain hands on experience by practicing as an RN in a clinical setting. This will not only broaden your expertise, but it may also help you gain acceptance into a nurse practitioner program. After getting your RN, the next step to becoming a nurse practitioner is to complete a state-approved advanced nursing education program that usually specializes in a field such as family practice, adult health, acute care or women's health. This degree can be granted by a university, which grants a master's of science in nursing (MSN) degree which is now the minimum degree required to become a nurse practitioner, or a university, which grants a doctorate in nursing.
University of Phoenix provides many fully CCNE accredited Online and Campus Family Nurse Practitioner Programs to fit your individual needs. Whether you are an RN with a BSN looking to become a nurse practitioner or a NP looking to enhance your education, the University of Phoenix has a program for you.
After completing the nurse practitioner program, the candidate must be licensed by the state in which he or she plans to practice. The State Boards of Nursing regulate nurse practitioners and each state has its own licensing and certification criteria. In general, the criteria include completion of a master's degree in nursing and certification by an accrediting body (AANC, AANP).
Nurse Practitioner Salary and Job Outlook
According to salary.com, the median nurse practitioner salary as of April 2007 was $77,886 per year. As in any profession, your salary can vary dramatically dependent upon employer size, location, and years of experience. As the numbers of primary care physicians decrease and the demand for health care services increases, Nurse Practitioners (NP's) are a highly recruited group of professionals. Therefore, the nurse practitioner job outlook is excellent.
Featured Online MSN - Nurse Practitioner Programs
University of Phoenix College of Health and Human Services
The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Nurse Practitioner Program Option provides nurse practitioners (NP) with a baccalaureate degree an opportunity to enhance their educational qualifications and complete their graduate degree in nursing without leaving their current employment or home community. Because of the past diversity of nurse practitioner educational tracks many NP's obtained their licensure through certificate programming that did not provide a graduate degree component. In recognition of the nurse practitioner's prior educational learning the College has developed an accelerated graduate degree completion option for this target audience.
Frontier School of Midwifery & Family Nursing - Distance Education
The Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of College and Schools. They offer online MSN Programs with post masters certificates in the following areas: Certified Nurse Midwifery (accredited by ACME), Family Nurse Practitioner, and/or Women's Health Care Nurse Practitioner (both accredited by the NLNAC). FSMFN also offers an online DNP program accredited by the AACN. Coursework is web-based and clinical experience is acquired in your own community at clinics and hospitals.
- Click Here for more information about the Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing distance education programs
University of Cincinnati - College of Nursing
The University of Cincinnati offers two Distance Learning Master's in Nursing Programs, a Master of Science in Nursing – Nurse Midwifery and a Master of Science in Nursing – Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner . The MSN - Nurse Midwifery online program is accredited by the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) and the The MSN - Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner online program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Programs Offered: Online MSN - Nurse Midwifery, MSN - Women's Health Nurse Practitioner
- Click Here for information about the University of Cincinnati Online MSN programs.
Featured Master's in Nursing - Nurse Practitioner Campus Programs
University of Phoenix College of Health and Human Services
University of Phoenix offers the Masters in Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner program at the campus locations listed below. Request free information from University of Phoenix to find a campus near you and learn more about their programs.
Campus Locations: Arizona, California, Iowa, Michigan
