To become a family nurse practitioner, you must complete three steps: postsecondary education, nursing experience, and passing the certification examination. A licensed nurse who has completed additional training as a nurse practitioner with a specialty in family medicine and is able to perform a variety of functions as the primary health care provider is known as a family nurse practitioner. A variety of diseases and health concerns can be diagnosed and treated family nurse practitioners.
People who want to become a family nurse practitioner usually have several years of experience as a nurse practitioner or nurse and enjoy working with people. The Nurses Credentialing Center® or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners® certify family nurse practitioners. It is the university’s responsibility to ensure that candidates meet the certifying agencies’ academic requirements for this specialty. The requirements for certification vary state, so all family nurse practitioner candidates should double-check their state’s requirements.
Completing a post-secondary education program is the first step toward obtaining a family nurse practitioner certification. To be considered for admission to the family nurse practitioner program, candidates must have completed both a bachelor’s degree in nursing and a nurse practitioner graduate degree program. This program usually lasts one year of full-time study and is regarded as a second graduate degree. There are only a few universities that offer this program, and admissions are extremely competitive.
Before you can take the family nurse practitioner certification exam, you must have a certain amount of experience as a family nurse practitioner. This has to be verifiable, and it has to be done under the supervision of a licensed physician or a certified nurse practitioner. The majority of candidates fulfill this requirement as part of their full-time nurse practitioner job.
The exam for Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs) is a computerized multiple choice test. Students can prepare for this exam attending preparation courses and seminars offered the American Nurses Credentialing Center® and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners®. Examine the various study preparation options and choose the one that best suits your needs.
Candidates who complete the family nurse practitioner certification are qualified to conduct patient physical examinations, order labs and tests, and write prescriptions. The extra family care training covers a wide range of common diseases and illnesses. In small towns and rural areas, there is a chronic shortage of doctors, leaving communities without a trained medical professional. The vast majority of these communities’ health-care needs can be met family nurse practitioners.