The time had gone past when nursing was considered a stagnant profession. Nurses remained stuck in one position for the rest of their lives. But now, the nursing profession provides highly rewarding opportunities to well-educated nurses. Among them, the highest paying and tremendously growing career is a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP).
Family Nurse Practitioners are Advanced Practice Registered Nurses who have specialized graduate-level degrees. They provide primary healthcare facilities to people of all ages, from infants to adults. Out of 325000, 67% of the nurse practitioners have specialization in family nurse practice. These numbers indicate how beneficial this career is and its importance in the healthcare system.
If you are also thinking of specializing in family nurse practice, let us help you take this important step. In this article, we have given seven reasons why you should become a family nurse practitioner. Read till the end to find out these reasons that will help you make your decision. Without further ado, let us get straight to the topic.
Broad Career Paths
FNPs are specialized in providing care to families, which means they can treat patients of any age or any gender. This specialty creates a wide range of career opportunities for FNPs. Some of the notable career paths after becoming FNPs are:
- Pediatrics
- Geriatrics
- Chronic Disease Management Professional
- Internal Medicine, etc.
This family nurse practitioner specialty empowers them to pursue their career in whatever direction they want. You can select whichever field suits your interest and skills. Thus, you can propel your career even more after becoming a family nurse practitioner by gaining specialties in the careers mentioned above.
Full Autonomy
There are many benefits of becoming a family nurse practitioner, and one of them is complete autonomy in practice. FNPs can make decisions about their patient’s care without consulting a doctor. It includes deciding which tests to order, what medications to prescribe, and when to refer a patient to a specialist.
There are many perks of full autonomy for family nurse practitioners. Here are some of them:
- It enables them to provide the best possible care for their patients.
- It empowers them to develop their practice style.
- It grants them the right to maintain their professional integrity.
- It gives the authorization to be creative and innovative in their approach to patient care.
- It allows them to build a successful career as a family nurse practitioner.
Moreover, FNPs’ autonomy also extends to their work schedule. They can choose to work full-time or part-time, days, evenings, or weekends. They can also choose to see patients in a clinic, hospital, etc., as they are required to work in all environments.
Highly In-Demand
There is a growing shortage of primary care physicians in the United States after COVID-19 due to extreme workload. As FNPs can diagnose and treat common illnesses, provide preventive care, and prescribe medicines. They stepped in and provided the much-needed care as an alternative for primary care physicians. They are also more affordable than traditional physicians. That’s why the demand for family nurse practitioners is higher than ever.
Moreover, family nurse practitioners will also see many job opportunities in the years ahead. According to the BLS report, the employment growth rate for nurse practitioners is expected to rise by 52% by 2029.This employment rate is 13 times the average employment rate for all other occupations in the US. If you also want a stable career, FNP is the best option.
Better Earning Potential
Everyone wants to achieve financial freedom after getting a degree. MSN-FNP programs do not disappoint you in this case as well. Earning an FNP degree will boost your income incredibly. The average median salary of an RN was $77,000 in 2020, while FNP was making $117,000 annually. You can make $40,000 more per year after becoming a family nurse practitioner.
Due to the growing demand for FNPs, many hospitals and clinics are now offering sign-on bonuses, relocation allowances, and generous tuition reimbursement programs to attract qualified nurses. If you are a registered nurse interested in pursuing an FNP degree, now is the time to do it.
Flexibility in Working Environment
Family nurse practitioners play a vital role in the healthcare system as they can work in any healthcare setup, including but not limited to:
- Hospitals
- Clinics
- Nursing Schools
- Private Practice
- Community Health Centers
No matter where they work, FNPs provide high-quality care to their patients. In response, FNPs get a lot of experience working in different environments, which helps them in their careers. If you are a person who wants to be versatile in your work, selecting FNP as a career path will fulfill your wish.
FNPs Can Do Private Practice
Private practice allows FNPs to control their work hours and better manage their patients. In addition, FNPs who do private practice can earn more than those working for larger healthcare centers.
One of the most common reasons people give for not wanting to become a family nurse practitioner is that they think they can’t do private practice. It isn’t true. Family nurse practitioners can do private practice in 24 states of the United States of America.
The degree is Easily Accessible
On top of all the benefits mentioned above, the biggest benefit is that this degree is easily accessible as many reputable universities offer it online. Thus, you can now earn your FNP degree without sacrificing your time and current job. Many online programs offer flexible scheduling so that you can work towards your degree at your own desired pace. It will help you continue your job as a registered nurse while getting a degree in FNP.
Conclusion
To sum it up, FNP is a highly rewarding and growing profession and offers higher benefits than registered nurses. Some of the benefits of becoming an FNP are autonomy, good earning potential, flexibility, several career options, and the ability to provide direct care to patients. Thus, taking a degree in FNP can give you incredible benefits and take your career to the next level. So, don’t miss out on this opportunity and take the important step to enjoy the benefits of being a family nurse practitioner.