Family nurse practitioners (FNP) are advanced practice registered nurses who work autonomously or in collaboration with other healthcare professionals to deliver family-focused care. Given the rather broad nature of the “family” patient population focus, FNPs offer a wide range of healthcare services that revolve around the family unit; from health promotion and disease prevention to direct care and counseling across the lifespan. As a FPN, you care for the whole family, from infant to geriatric patients, and work in a variety of settings including public health, armed forces, hospitals, private practice, independent practice, etc.

Because FNPs possess a graduate-level education, as well as clinical training in family medicine, they are qualified to diagnosis and treat complex health conditions of the body and mind. Their advanced training and education also often qualifies FNPs to serve as hospital and clinic administrators and policy makers.

Skills and abilities

As with any Registered Nurse or Nurse Practitioner, a certain set of skills and personality traits are useful when pursuing a career as a Family Nurse Practitioner. Because FNPs work so closely with patients, and may work with the same patients through many stages of their lives, empathy and communication are two essential skills. Further, because FNPs are often a primary line of defense when it comes to acute illnesses and overall wellness, they should be extremely organized and able to track issues over time with regard to medication interactions and other challenges.

Family nurse practitioners place a strong emphasis on wellness and prevention, but also provide treatment for everything from mild ailments to serious conditions affecting any member of the family, from children to grandparents. An FNP can be expected to perform duties that include:

• Developing treatment plans for acute and chronic diseases
• Educating and guiding patients on disease prevention and healthy lifestyle habits
• Understanding the changes in health promotion throughout the aging process
• Conducting exams
• Performing diagnostic tests and screening evaluations
• Managing overall patient care regarding lifestyle and development issues
• Emphasizing preventative care and disease management
• Prescribing medications

Earning a degree

Becoming an FNP involves first passing the NCLEX-RN exam and becoming a licensed RN. Crucial experience is gained in the years spent working as a registered nurse. From there, most FNP aspirants work toward a Master’s Degree in Nursing (MSN) with a concentration in family practice, a post graduate degree specific to FNP preparation, or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). Often, registered nurses complete a general graduate degree in nursing and then go on to complete a post-graduate certificate program for family nurse practitioners. Many would-be FNPs choose to center their master’s education on an FNP specialization. Some subspecialties available to FNPs include:

• Medical-Surgical
• Cardiac
• Endocrine/Diabetes
• Renal/Urology
• Perinatal
• Long-Term Care
• Orthopedics

The status of Family Nurse Practitioner is not one in which there is very much vertical movement. Rather, experienced FNPs may be allotted more responsibilities by their supervising physician, or may build a clientele and be able to open an independent practice. There is no official educational or experiential requirement for this. Instead, Family Nurse Practitioners are free to seek employment wherever there is a need for their skills. The possibilities are great!