by If you are a registered nurse, looking to improve your status and education, there are few steps to make.
The first is to earn a Bachelor’s of Science degree (BSN) in nursing.
To complete this process, it can take at least four and a half years for those who attend BSN RN nursing education programs.
If you want to become an entry-level NP, you will have to achieve a master’s degree in nursing (MSN).
It can take a minimum of two years.
The programs vary across the states, but there are some minimum education requirements to be met.
Those include:
- Role development for advanced practice nurses
- Acute care
- Advanced Pharmacology
- Care of chronic conditions
- Advanced physical assessments
- Advanced lab assessment
- Research
- Advanced pathophysiology
- Health promotion and screening
It is convenient that some educational programs have an option for online or classroom learning.
Some programs allow the combination of both online and classroom forms for your convenience.
The minimum duration is two years, but it can take longer for some students.
For example, a program for Family Nurse Practitioners at Samuel Merritt offers full or part-time student status.
It depends on whether the student chooses a hybrid or online course.
The number of semesters also varies from five to eight semesters.
The next step for nurse practitioners can be to pursue a doctorate of nursing practice (DNP) degree.
The process can last three or four years to complete DNP for students choosing full-time.
Those who choose part-time status will need at least five years to achieve a DNP degree.
MSN to DNP takes a minimum of two years for full-time students.
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing states that DNP programs educate nurses on evidence-based practice, leadership, and overall practice improvements.
The difference between doctoral programs is the focus on evidence-based practice rather than on research education.
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