CAREER GUIDE MSN—Family Nurse Practitioner

Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with specialized educational and clinical training in family practice. Family nurse practitioners (FNPs) are rapidly becoming the healthcare providers of choice for millions of Americans. Family nurse practitioners are advanced practice nurses who work in collaboration with other healthcare professionals to deliver family-focused healthcare. FNPs offer a wide range of services that impact families, including preventative health, disease prevention, direct care, and counseling for all ages. FNPs manage family wellness in a primary care setting and are considered expert clinicians capable of implementing a holistic approach to the management of healthcare needs for clients. The FNP performs physical exams, interpret x-rays, prescribes medications, and treats various conditions. And the demand for FNPs is growing. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 166,280 nurse practitioners were active in a practice setting in 2017. These practitioners provide more than 870 million patient visits annually. The impacts of these visits on the population are profound, as these patients experience fewer emergency room visits and shorter hospital stays, report high patient satisfaction, have lower out-of-pocket costs for care, and receive high-quality, safe healthcare. 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expected the demand for nurse practitioners to far outpace the average of all occupations. Increasing demand for healthcare, an aging U.S. population, and continued emphasis on preventative healthcare will all contribute to job growth potential. Employment of nurse practitioners is expected to grow by 26 percent by 2028. 

In April 2018, the Association of American Medical Colleges announced that they expect a shortage of more than 120,000 doctors by 2030. It is clear that schools of medicine alone will not meet the future demands for primary healthcare providers. The demand for other providers, especially the nurse practitioner, will continue to increase to meet the rising demand for primary care visits.

The median annual wage for family nurse practitioners was $107,030 in May 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, with nurse practitioners who work in hospitals earning top salaries (where they may work some nights, weekends, and holidays). The top paying states for nurse practitioners include California, Alaska, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York.