Nurse practitioners are nurses with the training and experience to perform many of the same healthcare tasks that physicians do.
To become a nurse practitioner, you'll need to earn both an undergraduate and graduate degree, obtain experience, and pass licensure exams.
Below, we've outlined everything you need to know about becoming a nurse practitioner.
What Is a Nurse Practitioner?
Nurse practitioners, also called advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), are advanced-level nurses.
As a result, they may be able to do tasks that standard registered nurses (RNs) cannot, such as diagnose patients, order tests, and prescribe treatments and medications.
Job duties of nurse practitioners may include:
- analyzing test results
- creating patient care plans
- diagnosing and evaluating patients
- ordering, and sometimes performing, diagnostic tests
- performing physical exams
- recording patients' medical histories
While the role of a nurse practitioner may overlap with that of a physician, there are some things nurse practitioners can't do, such as perform a surgery.
Since some states limit what nurse practitioners can do, their role can vary among states.
Like physicians, many nurse practitioners specialize in a specific area of medicine. Common specialties for nurse practitioners include:
- adult/gerontological primary care
- family primary care
- mental health
- pediatric primary care
If you're interested in becoming a nurse practitioner, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Earn a Nursing Degree
Before you can become an APRN, you need to become an RN. To do that, you need to earn an undergraduate nursing degree.
You can earn a nursing degree at both the associate and bachelor's levels. Associate degrees generally take two years to finish, while a bachelor's degree takes four.
These programs usually include both class work as well as hands-on practicum experience. Class topics may include:
- anatomy and physiology
- biology
- ethics
- medical terminology
Some master's programs require a bachelor's degree, but a few offer bridge programs for associate degree holders.
This means that you take a few extra courses to make up for the bachelor's degree. As a result, these programs can take a little longer to complete.
Many students opt to earn an associate degree in nursing, obtain their RN license, then go back to school to complete an RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program.
This path can potentially allow you to earn your BSN with less time overall spent in school and for less money.
You can find accredited nursing programs through the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Step 2: Obtain a Registered Nurse License
Once you've graduated from your nursing program, you'll pursue your registered nurse license. While requirements vary between states, all states require you to pass the NCLEX-RN.
The National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) is a standardized test for registered nurses that is developed and administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN).
The NCLEX is a computer-based test that uses a variety of question types to assess your knowledge of a variety of nursing topics.
You'll answer between 85 and 150 questions. The test model is adaptive, meaning it will issue the next question based on past answers. You have a total of five hours for the test.
Depending on your state, you may need to meet other requirements, such as passing a background check, before you can earn your license.
Check with your state nursing board to ensure you're meeting all requirements for licensure.
Step 3: Gain Nursing Experience
Most graduate-level degree programs in nursing practice require you to have a certain amount of experience as a registered nurse.
This amount of experience can vary between programs. Usually, this can range from six months to two years of experience.
In many cases, you don't need to finish this experience before applying, but do need to be on track to finish before the program starts.
Step 4: Earn a Graduate Degree in Nursing Practice
At the graduate level, you can earn your degree in nursing practice. At this point, you'll also be able to focus on a specialty.
Typically, nurse practitioners need to obtain a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. These typically take three to five years of study, though some offer shorter pathways.
Some colleges offer Master of Science (MS) degrees in nursing with a concentration in nursing practice. These are less common but may still be sufficient to earn licensure.
Applicants with bachelor's degrees in nursing can often go straight into a DNP program. Those with associate degrees or bachelor's degrees in other fields will likely need an MS in nursing first.
Step 5: Obtain a Nurse Practitioner National Certification
Before you can become a licensed APRN, you'll need to take a certification exam offered by an accredited certifying body. You'll need to take the exam that aligns with your specialty.
There are five nurse practitioner certification boards in the United States:
- American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB)
- American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) Certification Corporation
- The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Certification Program
- National Certification Corporation (NCC)
- The Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB)
These boards each offer multiple licenses, so you can find one for your specialty. For example, both the ANCC and the PNCB offer licensing for pediatric nurse practitioners.
Most states do not have a preference in the certifying body you choose but check your state's requirements to be sure.
Like with earning an RN license, there may be additional steps to earning your state licensure. The state will likely need to see proof of your education and that your RN license is in good standing.
Become a Nurse Practitioner
Becoming a nurse practitioner requires many years of education and experience as well as obtaining licensure. Follow the steps above to start your new career path today.
