Skip to content
FREE STANDARD U.S. SHIPPING WITH $50 PURCHASE
GEN_Logo_Springer_wtagline_1920x374

GEN-Logo-Springerwtagline-1920x374

Careers in Nursing | Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)

Career Guide, Job Opportunities, News, Educational Resources

Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)

Career Overview

Family nurse practitioners (FNPs) are advanced practice nurses who specialize in providing health promotion and care to patients in primary care settings. FNPs provide primary screenings and focus on health promotion and disease prevention across the lifespan. They have many of the same duties as acute care practitioners but typically do not work with patients who are critically ill. They perform physical examinations, order diagnostic tests, establish diagnoses, prescribe medications, and educate patients and family members regarding health and illness conditions and treatment plans. Examples of settings in which an FNP might practice are physicians’ offices, health care clinics, private practice, hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health departments, and occupational health settings.

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

A Master of Science in Nursing degree with advanced practice certification as an FNP is required. Programs are generally of 2 years’ duration combining clinical and didactic work. Certification is available from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

CORE COMPETENCIES/SKILLS NEEDED

  • Ability to perform physical examinations
  • Ability to assess accurately when doing screenings and diagnostic tests; knowledge of normal ranges and abnormal findings
  • Strong communication skills
  • Teaching ability and interest
  • Ability to work with interdisciplinary teams as well as to function independently
  • Knowledge of acute and chronic conditions
  • Excellent judgment in knowing when to make a referral
  • Ability to prescribe medications

RELATED WEBSITE AND PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION

Relevant Articles

Explore Family Nurse Practitioner Jobs

Check out Family Nurse Practitioner Resources

FNP Certification Ultimate Review Online Study Pack image

FNP Certification Ultimate Review Online Study Pack

$229.99

With seven essential exam prep products integrated into one robust, online course, this is the ultimate FNP study pack.  Immediately access Maria Leik’s Family Nurse Practitioner Certification Intensive Review, Fourth Edition, 6-month subscription to ExamPrepConnect Online Course with 800 Q&A practice questions, PLUS 2 additional full-length practice exams and 5 Booster mini-tests for that extra shot of exam-day preparation. With a total of 1,350 questions this is all the essential prep and additional resources you need to start your study plan and take you all the way through to exam day in one integrated online course.  Featuring the exam prep material credited by certified FNPs across the United States as the most instrumental resource in helping them pass their AANPCB and ANCC certification exams, this value-packed study pack provides a 6-month subscription to the ultimate ExamPrepConnect online course featuring:  Maria Leik’s high...

FNP Certification Intensive Review (Digital Access: 6-Month Subscription) image

FNP Certification Intensive Review (Digital Access: 6-Month Subscription)

$129.99

Get 6 months' digital access to the 5th edition of FNP Certification Intensive Review on ExamPrepConnect—the interactive digital study platform that guides you confidently through your exam prep journey. Derived from FNP Certification Intensive Review by Maria T. Codina Leik, this comprehensive yet concise resource is organized by body system and provides easy-to-navigate content on Danger Signals, Normal Findings, Lab Findings, and Benign Variants in physical assessment, an expanded chapter on “Question Dissection and Analysis,” as well as test-taking tips throughout. The review reflects the latest AANPCB and AANP exam blueprints and concludes with four full-length practice tests to get you ready for exam day. With both in-depth review and practice questions with answer rationales, this study aid empowers you with the tools and materials to study your way and the confidence to pass the first time, guaranteed! Know that you're ready. Know that you'll pass wi...

FNP Certification Intensive Review, Fifth Edition, and Q&A Flashcards Set image

FNP Certification Intensive Review, Fifth Edition, and Q&A Flashcards Set

$149.99

Note to Readers:Publisher does not guarantee quality or access to any included digital components if set is purchased through a third-party seller.Set includes intensive review content, practice Q&A, convenient flashcards, and 6 months' free access to the companion ExamPrepConnect digital course!With comprehensive review content, practice Q&A, convenient flashcards, and interactive digital prep included with purchase, this complete family nurse practitioner certification exam prep set gives you all the tools you need to study your way and the confidence to pass the FNP exam the first time, guaranteed! The set features the new fifth edition of Maria Codina Leik's highly acclaimed Family Nurse Practitioner Certification Intensive Review, which continues its tradition of synthesizing complex knowledge into a concise, well-organized format. The fifth edition has been revised and enhanced to feature key information about the AANPCB and ANCC FNP certification exams; 500 new end-of-...