MSN: Nurse Practitioner (NP) Degree Programs

A nurse practitioner (NP) is one of four types of advanced practice registered nurses, the others being clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, and nurse midwives. A Master of Science degree in nursing (MSN) along with status as a registered nurse are required before becoming a nurse practitioner. NPs serve as primary and specialty care providers in a number of areas, including general practice, acute care, adult health, family health, psychiatric and mental health, and women’s health, to name a few. For adult, gerontological, and family nurse practitioners, the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) offers a certification program.

How to Become a NP

To become a nurse practitioner, students typically complete the following steps:

Complete an Associate’s Degree in Nursing or a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing program
Earn a Registered Nurse Certification
Meet the professional experience conditions
Choose an area of specialization such as pediatrics, geriatrics, or women’s health
Enroll and complete an MSN degree with a nurse practitioner concentration
Obtain NP certification and proper licensure (requirements vary by state)

NP Salary and Career Information

The expected salary, career growth, and work environment for a nurse practitioner might include:

Median Expected Salary: $89,787, according to Salary.com’s most recent report
Job Prospects: Very good to excellent
Job Setting: Private practices, nursing homes, hospitals, public health organizations, boards of health and education, educational institutions, home health care agencies

NP Qualifications

To become a nurse practitioner, students are typically required to meet the following job qualifications:

NP Advanced Practice Certification
Experience and possibly additional certification in a specialty area including: neurology, oncology, rehabilitation, trauma nursing, adolescent health, neonatal, pediatric oncology, pediatric pulmonary, school health nursing, anesthesiology, community health, home health care, hospice nursing, occupational health, women’s health

NP Job Description

A nurse practitioner is typically responsible for the following job duties:

Examine patients to evaluate their medical and physical conditions and develop specific care plans based on health assessment
Work closely with physicians and other medical professionals to aid in patient diagnosis
Act at point of contact for patients when physician is not on site or unable to unavailable for consultation
Develop a plan of care that address patients’ unique conditions and prescribe proper medication (prescriptive authority varies by state)
Provide educational and therapeutic support to patients on how best to manage symptoms
Consult with other nurses and medical professionals to improve patient outcomes