If you’re still in high school, the process of how to become a family nurse practitioner can begin right now. You should talk to your guidance counselor about taking more science and math classes. Some high schools may even offer human anatomy courses, and you should also pursue internship opportunities.
An aspiring FNP should plan on earning a four-year bachelor’s degree in nursing from an accredited school. Your studies will prepare you to take the required exam to earn your RN license. Then, you’ll need to gain a few years of clinical experience as an RN.
After working in the field for a while, you can begin working toward your graduate FNP degree. A master’s degree in nursing may take up to three years to earn. Then, you’ll need to pass a certification exam to become a family nurse practitioner.
Earn Your Undergraduate FNP Degree
Following high school, the process of how to become an FNP begins with your college education. At the undergraduate level, there is no need to worry about choosing a degree with a specific specialty like family practice. Instead, you’ll enroll in a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree program.
The BSN (pre-licensure) program requires four years of full-time study. Alternatively, if you already have an associate’s degree and an RN license, you may enroll in an accelerated RN to BSN degree program, which can be completed in as few as 12 months in some cases.1
Another option may be available to students who have previously earned a degree or a minimum number of college credits in a non-nursing field. Some schools offer an accelerated BSN, or ABSN, which might be completed in as few as 16 months.2 The ABSN program focuses on nursing education to get students who are new to the field up to speed and starting their nursing career as quickly as possible.
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Regardless of which type of degree program you choose, you should look for one that is accredited, and that aligns with national standards and best practices. If you are a pre-licensure student, you might also want to look into the program’s first-time pass rate for the NCLEX-RN to see how it compares to the national and state averages.
BSN programs instill a breadth of knowledge in nursing students in topic areas ranging from patient assessments to pharmacology to healthcare informatics. You should also study nursing research, healthcare policy and professional ethics, as well as population-specific areas like pediatrics and obstetrics.
Your nursing degree will combine classroom, laboratory and hands-on learning experiences. Some of the more modernized schools even feature nursing simulation labs that empower students to develop real world-ready critical thinking, clinical reasoning and decision-making skills. These also enable students to practice patient interactions.
Acquire Your RN License
If you don’t yet have your registered nurse license, you will need to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for registered nurses. The NCLEX-RN does not simply test your nursing knowledge; it also tests your ability to use critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills to apply your knowledge to real-world situations.
There are four main categories on the exam, as follows:
- Safe and effective care environment (e.g., management of care, safety and infection control)
- Health promotion and maintenance
- Psychosocial integrity
- Physiological integrity
It’s best to choose a test date that gives you some time to immerse yourself in study following graduation. However, you won’t want to wait too long to take the exam, because it’s best to have your coursework fresh in your mind. Once you successfully pass the exam and receive your state licensure, you’ll be able to practice as an RN.
Gain Clinical Experience in Healthcare Settings
In some nursing professions, it’s possible or even customary to pursue a master’s degree shortly after graduating with an undergraduate degree. However, hands-on clinical experience is crucial for a nurse’s education. That’s why aspiring FNPs and other APRNs must gain clinical experience before they are eligible to apply to a graduate program.
The specific requirements vary from one school to the next. Some nursing schools require as little as one year of full-time clinical experience, whereas others require two to three years. Even if you plan to apply to a school that requires only one year of experience, it can be to your advantage to gain at least a few years of experience so you’ll be better prepared to ace your studies.
Keep in mind that even though you’ll be out of academia while you’re working to earn clinical experience, all nurses are lifelong learners. Stay sharp by reading nursing journals in order to stay on top of the latest research and developments in the field. Of course, you will also need to meet the continuing education requirements for registered nurses in your state.
