Jobs in the healthcare system make a difference in the lives of millions. Medical practitioners dedicate their lives to caring for others and saving lives. Nurses, in particular, are directly in contact with patients and fulfill the responsibilities of identifying and protecting the needs of their patients. There are different types of registered nurses, and in this article, we will focus specifically on family nurse practitioners.
What Is a Family Nurse Practitioner?
A Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) is an advanced-practice registered nurse with specialized graduate education. They provide primary health care across all age groups and backgrounds. As an FNP, you care for patients of all age groups and diagnose and treat identified conditions. You are responsible for conducting routine physical checkups and prescribing medications to your patients.
FNPs are also responsible for teaching patients about healthy lifestyle habits and emphasizing preventative care. Sometimes, you will assist in minor surgeries or make appropriate referrals for your patients when you cannot treat a particular condition. You will also develop treatment plans for patients suffering from acute and chronic diseases like diabetes.
As a FNP, you can work with specialty departments, such as oncology, to care for cancer patients in hospitals or clinics. You can practice alone or treat in urgent care facilities or community outreach programs.
The Process of Becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner.
You must pursue a four-year college or university nursing program to become a Family Nurse Practitioner. As a registered nurse, you must pass the RN licensing exam, also known as the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination), in the United States and Canada. After getting your license, you can start working as a nurse to gain experience catering to different types of patients. You will then need to earn a master’s or doctorate in Family Nurse Practitioner programs from an accredited college or university. Afterward, you need to get an FNP-C or FNP-BC certification. Different boards offer these certifications, and you must research which one is right for you.
Where Can Family Nurse Practitioners Work?
After becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner, you can work in independent and collaborative environments. For instance, you can work in school clinics to oversee the health of growing children, in hospitals to treat a diverse range of patients, and in hospice to care for patients requiring palliative care. You can also extend your expertise by working in academia or providing services in policy-making or administrative roles.
FNPs primarily prefer working with families to provide in-house care to patients that suffer from acute or chronic conditions and need constant monitoring and support. FNPs can also provide palliative care to patients suffering from serious illnesses at their homes. Such long-term, patient-centered projects help them develop a good relationship with the patient to understand their needs and support them better.
It is also important to note that as an FNP, you can cater to patients of all ages, enabling you to gain vast experience. With other nursing programs, you only focus on a particular age group or branch of medicine, so your experience is more limited.
Family Nurse Practitioners treat patients of all age groups and are responsible for diagnosing and treating both acute and chronic health conditions. As an FNP, you are primarily responsible for teaching your patients about healthy lifestyle habits and creating customized treatment plans for those patients who suffer from chronic health conditions such as diabetes. The work makes a difference in the lives of many, making FNP a truly gratifying job.