Choosing a Family Nurse Practitioner School

Finding the family nurse practitioner school that is best for you requires research into the various programs offered.

You have to find the best family nurse practitioner school once you have made the decision to become an advanced practice nurse. This is important so you can obtain the training required for these nursing professionals. The principal responsibility is to satisfy individual health care requirements within the context of the family. Thus, it is necessary for the family nurse practitioner to fully understand the essence of shared and family-centered care.  At the same time, he or she must recognize the value of interaction among the physical, emotional, psychological, and socio-cultural systems of patients. This particular nursing program places a strong weight on addressing the needs of neglected, high-risk, and multi-cultural communities.

Academic Programs for Prospective Nurse Practitioners

The mainstream two-year course of study for the nursing practitioner leads to the Master of Science degree and certification eligibility. The part-time study option is also made available to working students. Besides the core curriculum, nursing students may choose to pursue other fields such as teaching, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) care, or health policy.

Students enrolled in the nurse practitioner program are obliged to take classes in the following:

• Family Nursing Theory and Intervention
• Primary Health Care Concepts and Practice
• Management of Acute and Chronic Illness
• Research Approaches and Critique
• Socio-Cultural Issues
• Role and Leadership Preparation

There are seminars that focus on application of knowledge and development of critical thinking as well as decision-making. Clinical practice provides practical experience within the gamut of community and primary care settings. This is done in cooperation with nurse practitioners, physicians, and other health professionals.

Nurse Practitioner programs come as MSN and post-MSN certificate programs. Students aspiring for the MSN degree with NP preparation should meet the admission criteria. Nurses, who want a post-masters certificate, should have completed an MSN from any accredited program. This depends on course work completed for the master’s program and current advanced practice status if applicable. An individualized certificate degree plan will be developed if needed. Prospective post-master’s certificate students are strongly advised to contact the Nursing College prior to application for review of transcript and find out the most suitable semester for admission.

Here is a list of top nurse practitioner schools in the country according to education portals: