How to Become a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)

1. Understand the role: What does a Family Nurse Practitioner do?

Traditionally healthcare delivery has centered around physicians to diagnose illness, prescribe treatment and medication and assume responsibility for a patient’s well-being. Today the roles of healthcare providers have evolved. With the changes in healthcare reform, family nurse practitioners are serving an increasingly vital role in caring for families.

As our population continues to grow and age, the corresponding need for qualified providers to efficiently and effectively care for patients is skyrocketing. This has led to new and expanded roles for nurse practitioners who are trained to assess, diagnose, treat and manage illnesses in various patient populations.

Nurse practitioners are Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) educated at the master’s level or higher. They typically work in emergency rooms, primary care clinics, urgent care centers, and hospitals treating patients with a range of illnesses and/or life-threatening conditions. The primary care FNP is certified and licensed to treat patients of all ages in a variety of settings.

Learn everything you need to know about what a family nurse practitioner is and what they do.

Life as a family nurse practitioner: career profile

U.S. News and World Report ranked nurse practitioner #1 on its 2023 list of Best Health Care Jobs and #2 on its list of the 100 best jobs in America. It ranks so highly, in part, because of the tremendous job satisfaction FNP-trained nurses report as they gain more and more autonomy as primary healthcare providers. The annual report also factors in growth potential, work-life balance and salary.

Increasingly, a family nurse practitioner provides services for which patients would have historically waited weeks to see a physician, especially in rural areas where there is a shortage of primary family practice providers.

Where can you work?

As an FNP, you’ll have a lot of options when it comes to choosing the type of setting where you’ll work every day. Whether you choose to focus your career in family practice, geriatrics, pediatrics, Ob-Gyn, neonatal (ICU), urgent care, surgical/OR, internal medicine or primary care, you’ll be a valuable addition to a staff at a broad range of healthcare facilities, including:

There are many different nurse practitioner concentration programs you may choose from. Take our online nursing personality quiz to find out what type of nursing specialties are best suited for you.

What is the job market like for FNPs?

There is a great deal of demand for Family Nurse Practitioners. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects overall employment for nurse practitioners to grow by 45% from 2022-2032. This is much faster than the national average for all occupations and is largely due to the increasing emphasis on preventive care and the burgeoning need for healthcare services for our aging population.

Overall, job opportunities for nurse practitioners are expected to remain excellent. Now might be the ideal time to earn the credentials necessary to elevate your career in this highly rewarding field.

How long it takes to become a family nurse practitioner

Becoming an FNP may take approximately 2-5 years depending on where you are now in nursing, the number of credits you can transfer, and whether you choose a full or part-time schedule. After attaining your master’s degree you’ll need to get certified and obtain licensure in your state before officially becoming a nurse practitioner.

3. Enroll in an FNP program

You can potentially choose from multiple online FNP programs with Herzing University. The pathway you choose depends on what nursing education you've already earned (or plan to earn as part of first becoming an RN):

Alternative options. If you'd like to work as a nurse practitioner in a primary care capacity, you may also consider the adult gerontology and pediatric specialties. We also offer similar degree pathways in these concentrations. Learn more about our AGNP and PNP programs.

4. Complete your clinicals and graduate

One of the most important elements of becoming a nurse practitioner is the FNP program clinicals. At Herzing, you’ll complete 675 hours of precepted clinical experience with a preceptor that you have identified in your local area and 500 individual patient encounters to practice your skills of assessment, diagnosis, treatment and evaluation.

Finding a preceptor can be one of the biggest challenges many nursing students face. Our guide to finding an nurse practitioner preceptor can answer many of your questions about the process and what's expected of you. With Herzing University you are never alone. We support you in your search for a preceptor for your clinical practicum.

A distinct advantage of earning your master’s degree at Herzing is the university’s vast network of partnership sites. At Herzing you’ll have a clinical coordinator who will help you locate clinical sites and preceptors. There is a clinical guidance process to help you along the way as well as online nursing orientation and clinical readiness modules to ensure you have the tools you need to be successful along the way.

6. Obtain licensure in your state

Licensing is handled by your state’s board of nursing. There are very few states allowing nurse practitioners to practice without certification – but even in those cases employers and insurers often require nurse practitioners become certified.

In order to practice in another state you will be required to become licensed there as a registered nurse if you are not currently in a compact state. Then you may become licensed as an advanced practice nurse.

Contact the board of nursing in your state to find their requirements for FNP licensure.