Are you passionate about serving others and providing patient-centered healthcare? Advancing in your nursing career can be more straightforward than you think, and you can lean into serving others while leveraging specific skills.
As you consider furthering your nursing career with an advanced degree, you may be wondering:
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What’s the difference between a nurse practitioner and a family nurse practitioner?
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How do their roles differ?
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What are the benefits of becoming a family nurse practitioner specifically?
We’ve unpacked some of the most important things you should know about this field, and why getting your MSN online can help you make an impact sooner.
What is a Nurse Practitioner?
Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with advanced clinical training and a graduate-level degree in nursing. They’re trained to provide guidance and treatment for a wide range of healthcare services. Nurse practitioners often focus on individualized, preventative care. Their training goes beyond that of registered nurses, and they can work in more general settings or in specialized areas like pediatrics, family medicine, and mental health facilities.
What is a Family Nurse Practitioner?
A family nurse practitioner is a registered nurse who provides care for patients of all ages in settings like health centers, private practices, or hospitals. Family nurse practitioners take their patient care to the next level through extra certifications, giving them the ability to prescribe medication, and ensuring more people have access to life-saving medical care.
Family nurse practitioners can also prescribe treatments beyond medication and educate patients on disease prevention. Through community involvement, they encourage positive health and lifestyle choices through their wide range of expertise.
FNP vs. NP: What’s the Difference?
The differences between these two paths come down to three main areas:
Scope of Practice: Both family nurse practitioners (FNPs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) impact individual lives and the broader health community through their work. However, their scopes of practice in their roles look different. For example, some NPs can’t prescribe medications in their practices. Family nurse practitioners often have more freedom in their practices to prescribe medicine and work on holistic health plans for their patients.
Educational Investment: Most nurse practitioners and family nurse practitioners need a Master of Science in Nursing to practice on patients. However, family nurse practitioners invest more time in their education and take specialized courses that help them gain comprehensive skills tailored toward family-centered healthcare. This allows them to be more specialized in their approach to patient care, as opposed to the more general path some nurse practitioners take.
Freedom in Practice: While NPs enjoy a level of independence in their practice, sometimes working without the direct supervision of a physician, depending on state laws, FNPs often experience even more autonomy. Given their broad training, FNPs are prepared to make advanced-level clinical decisions across the healthcare needs of families and individuals.
Even with their differences, both NPs and FNPs work together to provide competent, compassionate patient care.
How to Become a Family Nurse Practitioner
To become a family nurse practitioner, you must first become a nurse practitioner by earning a Master of Science in Nursing. This title has its own list of requirements. Here’s how to reach your goal of becoming a family nurse practitioner:
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Earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing
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Pass the NCLEX-RN Exam and become an RN
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Enroll in a Master of Science in Nursing program with a Family Nurse Practitioner specialization.
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Graduate with your MSN
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Pass the FNP Certification Exam to be certified to practice as a Family Nurse Practitioner
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Pursue state licensure and ensure you’re complying with local requirements
While each step may seem simply laid out like this, it’s essential that you find the right educational partners to help you along your journey to becoming a family nurse practitioner.
What you need to know about getting a graduate degree online.
Benefits of Becoming an FNP
Both nurse practitioners and family nurse practitioners see advancements in their careers, but it can be worth going the extra mile and becoming a family nurse practitioner. There are unique benefits for those who become FNPs, including:
Diverse Specialties: Go deeper into areas you want to specialize in, including niches in pediatrics.
Comprehensive Patient Care: FNPs generally see their patients throughout various stages of their lives, contributing to deeper relationships.
Continual Learning Opportunities: Family nurse practitioners can continue to upskill in their field and invest in the specializations that matter most to them and their patients.
Flexible Hours: Having more autonomy in your healthcare practice means you have more control over your schedule and when you see patients.
Choose an Online MSN With a Family Nurse Practitioner Specialization: West Virginia University
West Virginia University offers an online Master of Science in Nursing with a Family Nurse Practitioner specialization. This degree program teaches you what you need to know about becoming a family nurse practitioner, from industry best practices to how to make connections in the field. Our 47-credit hour program provides the skills necessary to sit for advanced practice certification, equipping you with the competencies you need to earn your FNP certification.
Throughout the curriculum, students are guided in the process of self-development aimed at pursuing excellence in scholarly and professional endeavors. Students can enroll on a part-time or full-time basis. The program can be completed in five semesters (including a summer session) or through full-time study. At least two on-campus meetings are required during the program, regardless of whether you choose the part-time or full-time track.
To learn more about the online programs at WVU and how we help students succeed in their passions, download the Online Graduate School Toolkit and discover your options.
Or, you can meet with our online admissions coach to ask your questions.
