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Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)

Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Quick Facts
Total Credit Hours: 48
Total Clinical Hours: 540
Time to Completion: 30 months
Tuition: $732 per credit hour*

Online Family Nurse Practitioner Program

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

The demand for nurses to deliver comprehensive advanced nursing care is growing rapidly. Take on more responsibility as a healthcare provider and advance your career in nursing by becoming a nurse practitioner. As a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), you will further develop the knowledge and skills necessary to deliver nursing care to patients of all ages across primary care settings, making a positive impact on the health of your patients and the health of your communities. We know there are many online nurse practitioner programs for you to choose from – learn more about how an online FNP degree from Â鶹ֱ²¥ can help you obtain your master's in nursing education. 

Family Nurse Practitioner Program Highlights 

Related Programs

Who this program is for

The MSN-FNP program is built for working registered nurses who want to move into advanced practice. It is most often pursued by BSN-prepared nurses who are:

  • Ready to move from bedside nursing into a provider role
  • Working full time and need coursework that fits around clinical shifts
  • Planning to practice in primary care across the lifespan rather than one specialty population
  • Staying in their current community and want to complete clinicals close to home
Admission requirements and prerequisites are handled by Graduate Admissions. Confirm what you need before you apply by reviewing how to apply to Â鶹ֱ²¥. 

What You Will Learn

healthcare-program-image-FNP.jpegÂ鶹ֱ²¥ University’s MSN – Online Family Nurse Practitioner program will prepare you with the skills and knowledge you need to deliver expert and compassionate care to individuals and families in a primary care setting. You’ll learn from experienced, practicing faculty, following a curriculum designed to ensure that you can work successfully with patients across the lifespan and with traditional, nontraditional and culturally diverse families. Our graduate nursing students have achieved a 95% passage rate on national certification exams, demonstrating the delivery of exceptional education in our online family nurse practitioner programs.

The program is built around what an FNP does day to day:

  • Assess and diagnose across the lifespan, from newborns to older adults
  • Build and manage treatment plans for acute and chronic conditions
  • Apply advanced pathophyiology, pharmacology and health assessment in practice
  • Deliver care to traditional, nontraditional and culturally diverse families
  • Use evidence to guide clinical decisions and improve patient outcomes

Please visit our state authorizations page to see whether this program is available in your area.

*All rates subject to change. Please see Cost and Aid for more information.

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master's degree program in nursing and post-graduate APRN certificate programs at Â鶹ֱ²¥ University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education ().

Courses you will take in your Online FNP program:

The MSN-FNP is 48 credits paired with 540 clinical hours. Coursework covers advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology and health assessment before moving into the primary care practicum courses where you work with patients across the lifespan.

Why Â鶹ֱ²¥ Online

Start When You're Ready

 

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Multiple start dates and no set class times or locations.

View Flexible Start Dates

Experiential Learning

 

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Gain even more real-world experience.

 

Read about internship benefits

Academic Support

 

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Reach your goals with our personalized online support services.

Explore Student Support Services

Career Outlook

With your family nurse practitioner certification, you can practice in a variety of settings including primary care offices, clinics and care facilities. FNPs are employed across a wide range of settings:

  • Primary care and family practice offices
  • Community health centers and federally qualified health centers
  • Urgent care and retail clinics
  • Hospital outpatient departments and specialty practices
  • Rural and school-based health clinics

Scope of practice and prescriptive authority vary by state, so check the rules where you plan to practice.

Faculty Spotlight

Brandy George, MSN, APRN, FNP-C

Image of Brandy George, a faculty member at Â鶹ֱ²¥ University.

Brandy George, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, is an assistant professor of nursing and family nurse practitioner track Ccoordinator at Â鶹ֱ²¥ University. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Rhode Island College in Providence, Rhode Island, and her Master of Science in Nursing with a Family Nurse Practitioner concentration from the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vermont. She is currently pursuing her Doctor of Nursing Practice at Wilkes University, where her scholarly work focuses on quality improvement and the implementation of evidence-based obesity management in primary care.

George has 14 years of experience as a Family Nurse Practitioner, with clinical expertise in primary care. She currently practices primary care at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) in Pennsylvania, providing comprehensive care across the lifespan. She is nationally certified as a family nurse practitioner through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board and serves as an active clinical preceptor for graduate nurse practitioner students from several universities throughout the region.

At Â鶹ֱ²¥ University, she teaches graduate clinical courses in pediatrics, women's health, family practice, and adult-gerontology. Her approach to graduate nursing education emphasizes clinical reasoning, evidence-based practice, professional development, and mentorship of future advanced practice nurses.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a family nurse practitioner?

A family nurse practitioner (FNP) is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who delivers a variety of family-focused health care services to patients of all ages, from newborns to seniors.

FNPs conduct physical examinations, order or perform diagnostic tests, prescribe medications, create treatment plans, and treat acute and chronic diseases, ailments, and injuries. They can do just about anything that falls under the purview of primary care.

FNPs work in a number of settings, such as community health clinics, private practice, health care systems and universities. In some states, they can have their own private practices. In others, they must work under the direct supervision of a medical doctor. 

Is a family nurse practitioner a doctor?

A family nurse practitioner does not have a medical degree, so by definition, they are not a medical doctor. Some FNPs do have doctorates, but they are in nursing science. They all have at least a master’s degree.

FNPs undergo rigorous training and credentialing similar to that of a medical doctor and perform many of the same tasks such as prescribing medication and performing physical exams.

FNPs have a wide range of responsibilities, from teaching patients about disease prevention to treating significant illnesses. They can also earn extra certifications in areas such as diabetes, pain management and obesity management. Specialization is not a requirement to be an FNP; many cover general medical practice.

What experience do I need to become an FNP?

You need an advanced nursing degree and proper credentials to be an FNP, as well as any certifications if you choose to specialize. You may also need at least one to two years of professional nursing experience to get an FNP license. Each state has different criteria for licensure.

How to become a nurse practitioner

It starts with going to nursing school to get a Bachelor of Nursing Science (BSN). Once you complete your undergraduate studies, you can apply for graduate school to earn a master’s or doctorate in nursing science. Often, this is something you can do with in-person classes or online.

Some nurse practitioners stop at a master’s degree in nursing science. Others go on to earn their doctorate. To be a nurse practitioner, though, you must have at least a master’s degree.

Your Career Begins Here


How to Apply

The admissions process breakdown

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Tuition

An affordable education to help you increase your earnings potential

 

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Financial Aid

Explore ways to help cover costs of your degree

 

Learn How to Reduce Your Costs

Transfer Made Easy

You're not alone. Hundreds of students transfer to Â鶹ֱ²¥ each year, some with just a few college credits, and others looking to transform an Associate's degree to a Bachelor’s or a Master’s. Best of all, you can transfer up to 90 credits toward your undergraduate degree or nine credits toward your graduate degree. We’ll be with you every step of the way to ensure you’re more than ready for the rewarding future you have in mind.

Whether you are transferring from a community college, looking to maximize your transfer credits, or trying to find an affordable school, Â鶹ֱ²¥ Online is a great choice.

Transfer Up To 9 Credits
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Â鶹ֱ²¥ University participates in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements.

For more information

Name
 Phone and Email Address
Graduate Admissions Graduate Admissions

 207.404.5661
graduateschool@husson.edu		 130 Peabody Hall
1 College Circle
Bangor, Maine 04401