How To Get A Masters In Nursing
To enter a master’s degree program in nursing, you’ll usually need to have your registered nursing license, hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing, submit professional letters of reference and meet GPA requirements. You may also need to complete pre-graduate tests, submit a resume, complete an interview and have work experience in …
Concentration Options In Maryvilles Online Master Of Science In Nursing Program
The five concentrations in focus on specialties ranging from family practice to psychiatric mental health. In addition to earning 29 credit hours in core classes that cover topics from healthcare policy to leadership, students can pursue any of the following concentrations. Each concentration features practicums with opportunities for students to work progressively more independently in a clinical setting.
How Long Is A Phd In Nursing Program
Earning a Ph.D. in nursing is the final degree available for those who want to conduct nursing research or become a nursing educator.
Though a nurse who has pursued and completed this level of education may provide hands-on care, in most cases they do not pursue these responsibilities.
Completing a Ph.D. in Nursing program generally takes a minimum of three years if pursued full-time, and five-to-seven years if pursued part-time.
The program requires up to 70 credit hours of classroom education and the preparation of a dissertation at the end of the program. Entry into a Ph.D. in Nursing program requires having graduated from an accredited Masters in Nursing Program, as well as nursing experience.
Nurses who pursue a Ph.D. do not generally have a certification that requires renewal unless they have an advanced practice degree that they wish to maintain.
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Bachelor Of Science In Nursing Requirements
Many colleges and universities offer BSN-to-NP programs that require candidates to hold an RN license and a BSN. While admission requirements vary between institutions, applicants can expect some similarities between programs.
Prospective BSN students should provide a completed application along with their official high school transcripts. Most schools expect candidates to meet a minimum GPA requirement, usually between 2.5 and 3.0. Other admissions materials can include letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, and ACT or SAT test scores.
Some programs require degree-seekers to demonstrate at least one year of prior nursing experience, although many BSN-holders go directly into an NP program without practicing as an RN first. In addition, students can often earn their degree online and complete their clinical hours at a location near their residence.
Is Becoming A Nurse Practitioner A Good Career Choice
Only you can determine if one career choice is better for you than another. However, if you like caring for others, are interested in the dynamics of healthcare from a nursing standpoint, and want to earn a reliable income, becoming a nurse practitioner can be an excellent career choice. By looking at U.S.
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How Long Is Nursing School
The answer to that question depends on a number of factors including:
- What type of nurse do you want to be?
- How are you going to go earn your degree?
- Are you going to go to school full time?
- Are you going to take classes in person or online?
- Do you want to get some hands-on experience before you move on to a position with more responsibility?
Every nursing degree will prepare you to care for patients, but each does so in a different way. This guide will explain the different types of nursing degrees and how long each will take you to complete each of them.
What Are The Different Elements Of Nurse Practitioner Credentialing
First things first on the credentialing checklist is: graduating nurse practitioner school!
Yes, this may seem obvious, but I get a lot of questions from NP students and new grad NPs about the exact order of operations that things need to occur, before, during, and after NP graduation. I cover the full graduation timeline in this blog post. So yes, first you need to have gone to NP school. Youve graduated with either your MSN or your DNP, essentially giving you the education and the permission to sit for your nurse practitioner boards.
So that first element of credentialing, I guess you could say is your diploma or your transcript.
But the second thing thats just as important, maybe even more so are your boards.
If you are in NP school, you are in a particular tract, and youre being prepared to sit for a particular board exam. And once you sit for those boards, and graduate, or pass them, and you are issued your official certification. This is really the first major checkbox towards being credentialed. So thats saying that youve been issued a board certification, and by the credentialing bodies you are recognized as a board-certified nurse practitioner.
The next element of credentialing is your state license.
So from a state perspective, this element of credentialing is going to vary state to state. You should refer to your Board of Nursing and figure out what your state recognizes you as, in terms of your license.
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Earn A Bachelor Of Science In Nursing Degree Degree
The first step toward becoming an NP entails earning a BSN. Traditional BSNs take four years to complete and include general education and nursing-specific coursework, along with hands-on clinical training.
Associate degree in nursing -holders with RN licenses may enroll in RN-to-BSN bridge programs and quickly earn a BSN. Other fast-track options for nurses exist for those with non-nursing bachelor’s degrees who wish to earn a BSN.
Where Do Family Nurse Practitioners Work
Family nurse practitioners work providing patient care in a variety of settings. While many choose to work in private practice, others work in settings such as retail clinics, hospitals and schools.
- Private Practice: Many FNPs work in private practice outpatient clinics, where they focus on providing primary care to their supervising physicians patients or their own patients.
- Retail Clinics: It is becoming common for FNPs to work in retail health clinics. Often these clinics are open during regular business hours up to seven days a week and attract a high percentage of walk-in patients.
- Urgent Care Centers: Urgent care centers are where patients go for non-emergency urgent care such as minor fractures, sprains and allergic reactions, all of which FNPs are trained to handle.
- Hospitals: Some FNPs choose to work in hospital settings. Because their training is in primary care, FNPs who want to work in hospitals often obtain additional certification as an acute care nurse practitioner or emergency nurse practitioner.
- Schools: A small percentage of FNPs work in schools where they provide primary care for students.
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Popular Nurse Practitioner Courses
Courses vary among the best NP schools, but most programs require core and elective classes, along with clinical/practicum hours. Degree level and specialization will influence coursework.
An NP curriculum usually covers advanced health evaluation, nursing ethics, advanced pharmacology, and issues in healthcare policy. Below, we describe five common courses for nurse practitioner students.
How To Become A Nurse Practitioner
Most nurse practitioners begin with a two-year or four-year degree in nursing, and then spend a few years in the profession as a licensed practical or a registered nurse. These experiences can provide valuable perspective when taking on more responsibility as a nurse practitioner in private practice, clinical environment or in hospitals. Acquiring experience in real-world settings can often offer added support when applying to advanced practice nursing programs in addition to their nurse practitioner degree.The job description nurse practitioner candidates can expect after graduation will vary considerably depending on the environment in which they perform their duties:
- Research nurse practitioners generally work in clinics and laboratory environments
- Some nurse practitioners are responsible for overseeing and supervising other nurses in a hospital or clinical setting
- In rural or underserved areas, nurse practitioners may be the highest ranked health care professionals on site
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Taking Time Between Degrees
Additionally, many find it worthwhile to take their time between each level of education that they attain so that they can spend enough time to gain experience, explore different specialty areas, and solidify your interest.
Whatever nursing school program you choose, your education will prepare you for a rewarding career that offers the ability to work as part of a team, to improve patients lives and to support yourself in a way that you can be proud of and grow in.
Can I Start Working Before Being Credentialed
Something to note is that not being credentialed doesnt always prohibit you from working. You can legally work as a nurse practitioner after licensing and certification. However, you may not be able to bill. Heres how this could play out. Lets say you have a planned orientation period thats one or two months. Its possible that your employer may have you start even if the employer side of credentialing is not yet complete! Because youre allowed to work as an NP, and you may bill under a different provider during orientation.
Phew. I hope that clears things up about what credentialing is for NPs. And makes you more comfortable with your specific responsibilities.
Now that you have a better understanding of credentialing, download my free Nurse Practitioner Graduation Survival Kit. This includes an outline and glossary of all the different nurse practitioner credentialing elements weve discussed today. And a timeline of what you should be doing in each month before, during, and after graduation!
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Direct Entry Nurse Practitioner Programs
If youre not a nurse but have a degree in another field, you can enroll in a direct entry nurse practitioner program. Essentially, you take an accelerated nursing program in about one year for the first portion of the program to be eligible for the NCLEX, then you continue on to the NP coursework for the second half of the program. Many schools also recommend that with this option, course participants take at least a year between the first and sections to gain hands-on clinical experience as well.
Can Nurse Practitioners Practice Independently
Currently, more than 25 states allow nurse practitioners to practice independently. This means they can open their own clinics and treat their own patients without needing a physician to oversee the practice. The ability to practice independently creates a great opportunity for nurse practitioners and for the communities they serve.
Youll see independent nurse practitioners in more rural states because getting providers there is difficult, Dixon said. “Physicians tend to work in bigger cities where they can focus on a specialty, so the need for general practitioners in more rural communities is great.
This is a wonderful trend, in Dixons opinion. The fact that nurse practitioners have independent clinical opportunities in more states and are able to serve even more people is amazing, she said.
Dixon also feels nurse practitioners emphasize helping the patient actively participate in their care.
If I prescribe amoxicillin, but the patient doesnt take it because they dont understand how or why theyre taking it, the problem won’t be fixed,” Dixon said. But when the patient truly understands the purpose of their treatment plan, they are more apt to participate. The nurse practitioners emphasis on patient education and relationship-building is the bridge.
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Learn More About Nurse Practitioners
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How Do I Go From Rn To Np
A career as a nurse practitioner begins with becoming a registered nurse . To become an RN, you will either need to hold an earned diploma or Associate of Science in Nursing from an accredited nursing program , or state Board of Nursing approved program that prepares students for the NCLEX-RN exam.
Registered nurses with an ADN or diploma can continue with an online RN to BSN program. Some schools, such as Southern New Hampshire University , may require a BSN or Bachelor Science in Nursing as a requirement for graduate studies. When you’re ready to take the next step toward becoming a nurse practitioner, you will need to earn a Master of Science in Nursing or Doctor of Nursing Practice from an accredited program. There, you’llneed to complete specific nurse practitioner courses and supervised clinical practice hours.
In addition to the advanced graduate education, nurse practitioners are required to complete a specific number of clinical practicum hours, said Dr. Nicholas S. Carte, AGPCNP-C, APRN, graduate nursing faculty lead at SNHU.*
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S To Becoming A Nurse Practitioner
NPs typically start as licensed RNs with several years of clinical work experience. After beginning their master’s or doctoral studies, prospective NPs select a patient population-based specialty area. Graduates take a national certification exam in their specialization to obtain advanced practice registered nursing licensure in their state.
While NP education specifics depend on concentration areas and program offerings with licensure requirements varying by state, most candidates complete the following steps.
Wait For State Licensure
This step is invariably the longest step in the NP credentialing process. Depending on the efficiency of your states BON, this can take a long time. General wait-time is said to be 8-12 weeks for most state BONs. However, you have to be proactive in some situations. If your state offers online verification, check online to see that your application is pending. If it has been 8 weeks, on the status of your application.
However long it may take, once you receive your state licensure, you can apply for your DEA, NPI, and in many states your secondary controlled substance license.
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Pass National Aprn Certification Exam
Each state features distinct requirements to become an APRN. Across states, each APRN candidate must hold an unencumbered RN license and complete an accredited graduate nursing program.
Candidates must complete a national certification exam through a qualifying certification board before they can legally practice. These tests allow candidates to select their desired patient population and obtain certification to provide advanced practice nursing care within that particular discipline.
How Many Years Does It Take To Become A Nurse Practitioner
NPs typically spend six years earning their undergraduate and graduate degrees and gaining work experience in a clinical setting. Accelerated programs along with RN-to-BSN or RN-to-MSN bridge programs can shorten the time to an NP career. Conversely, certain specializations and part-time study can extend a candidate’s time line.
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Getting Registered Or Licensed By The State You Practice In
The final step to becoming a nurse practitioner is registration or licensure for the state in which you will practice. There is wide variance in the conditions for registration or licensure that states may impose on NP practice. Some, for example, may have requirements for completing a supervised or collaborative practice.
A related issue to state regulation of nursing is full practice authority. Nurse practitioners, depending on where they live, may have the autonomy to perform their job duties like interpreting diagnostic tests or prescribing medication without the supervision of a physician or physicians assistant. There has been a recent shift in expanding the practice scope of NPs and APRNs, with legislation being passed in increasing numbers that grants full practice authority through a state nursing board.
Full practice authority in many cases is being leveraged to bring high-quality care within reach of underserved or rural patient populations. Leaning on NPs to deliver this care, as well as meet the increasing demand for health care amid a nursing shortage, has spurred several states to reconsider their laws on full practice authority.
As for the remainder:
Family Nurse Practitioner Clinicals
Clinicals are an indispensable part of the education of a family nurse practitioner. They enable you to apply your classroom knowledge in a clinical setting by working directly with patients at a health care site. Generally, students will experience about 500700 clinical hours on the path to their FNP, equipping them for real-life, advanced practice nursing.
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Tips For Finding A School
If you have chosen to become a nurse practitioner, you need to find an accredited school, which you can find by searching the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education database.
Theres about 350 schools offering these programs in the United States.
When choosing a program, you should research the school and find out what population or specialty it cater to.
You will notice that each university will specialize in certain population areas such as acute care, family care, pediatric, psychological or mental health care, neonatal, womens health.
Specialties may be broken down even further into orthopedics, emergency, cardiovascular, dermatology, gasteroenterology, neurscience, oncology, peri-operative, palliative care.
Its important for you to know which population and sub-specialty you are interested in because you dont want to pick a school that caters to family practice when you are more interested in acute or emergency care.
Another factor to consider is attendance method. Should you consider nursing practitioner online schools or an on-campus only education?
Also, does the school offer the degree you seek and do you have the prerequisites met.
Check the programs retention rate and certification rate. These are two factors that provide insight into the school.
After youve culled down the programs, consult with the program NP official who can provide much more detailed information and answer and questions you have.