Last Updated on January 8, 2025 by Caesar
A family nurse practitioner program equips you with skills that can open up many job opportunities to meet the growing demand for healthcare services. With flexible online programs, you can continue working as a registered nurse while pursuing your degree. While registered nurses and family nurse practitioners work within the same field, understanding their differences will help guide you toward a fulfilling career path. Here is how registered nurses differ from family nurse practitioners:
Roles of a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
As a family nurse practitioner, you may collaborate with patients to observe their health and offer medical assistance. You may also be responsible for educating individuals and their family members on preventive and primary care to enhance their well-being. As an FNP, you will diagnose and treat chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. You can also interpret assessment results like blood tests and X-rays, allowing you to develop and execute patient care plans. A family nurse practitioner program allows you to specialize in areas such as pediatrics, family medicine, psychiatry, mental health, and women’s health. You may also manage and prescribe medications for several patients while advising them on their overall health.
As an FNP, you act as a leader and mentor to other nursing students and practicing nurses. The practice requires you to possess leadership, accountability, and communication skills. Since an FNP program enables you to work independently, it gives you the autonomy to serve as a primary healthcare professional for underserved regions. The educational training of an FNP is more extensive than that of an RN.
Settings Where an FPN Can Work
An FNP career allows you to work in different healthcare settings, such as community health centers. This allows you to expand access to healthcare services for all patients. You can also engage in counseling and promote healthcare services customized to the community’s needs, such as screenings and mobile clinics. The career allows you to work in schools to promote healthy growth and development in children. You may educate the students on health topics like hygiene and nutrition. As an FNP, you will collaborate with school counselors and teachers to enhance mental health and execute emergency strategies.
Roles of a Registered Nurse (RN)
Being an RN requires you to focus on providing direct patient care and enhancing safety when implementing healthcare plans. The practice involves evaluating and observing patients while recording their medical history and detailed symptoms. You may also administer and keep track of prescribed medications and other treatments for reactions and side effects. It is your job to actualize patient care plans with the medical team and educate patients on treatment plans for different health conditions.
You are able to supervise licensed practical and occupational nurses, nursing assistants, and students. Working as an RN allows you to work in settings such as schools, patient homes, the military, assisted living facilities, and large organizations. As an RN, you work with various specializations such as pediatrics, oncology, family medicine, ambulatory care, and rehabilitation. This helps offer career growth and expertise opportunities.
Registered Nurse to Family Nurse Practitioner
While registered nurses have a good living wage, advancing your career to a family nurse practitioner can be an opportunity to earn more. Returning to school to earn an advanced degree offers a more flexible working schedule and increased responsibilities. The coursework focuses on advanced clinical skills and decision-making, requiring more commitment.
Apply for a Family Nurse Practitioner Program
A family nurse practitioner program can offer comprehensive nursing skills and principles required in an advanced practice. Since the nursing field is ever-changing, analytical thinking skills are required to meet the needs of your patients. If you want to be responsible for patient outcomes and develop a lifelong relationship with your patients, enroll in an FNP program from an accredited institution today.
