Overview of Nurse Practitioner Programs in Missouri
Ready to ramp up your nursing career and use your skills in a new way? This is the time to look into becoming a nurse practitioner. At nurse practitioner programs in Missouri, you can learn how to provide specialized care to adults, children, geriatric patients or psychiatric patients. Keep reading to get all the specifics of this degree. Get more information on local schools with the featured schools list below, or search for programs above.
Becoming a nurse practitioner is a great way to make full use of your nursing experience and expand your scope of practice in Missouri. Keep reading to learn more!
How Can I Become a Nurse Practitioner in Missouri?
Like most states, Missouri requires you to earn a Master’s degree or doctoral degree to qualify for certification. Compare average graduation requirements below.
Average Master’s Nurse Practitioner Degree Requirements
- Credit hours required: 35 to 40 credit hours
- Average cost: $750 per credit
- Clinical hours required: At least 500 clinical hours
- Timeframe: Three years
Average Doctoral Requirements for Nurse Practitioners
- Credit hours required: 85 credits
- Clinical hours required: At least 1,000 clinical hours
- Timeframe: Four to five years
What Types of Nurse Practitioner Programs Are Available in Missouri?
To enroll in a nurse practitioner program, you have to choose a patient population. Each option requires different areas of expertise and provides different types of clinical experience. For example, FNP programs introduce students to family care.
This may involve building a general knowledge of patient conditions and health needs that are relevant to patients of different ages and backgrounds. On the other hand, pediatric nurse practitioner students learn about childhood development, diseases commonly seen in children, and appropriate growth patterns.
Some courses are common to all nurse practitioner programs.
Courses Commonly Offered in Missouri Schools
- Theoretical Basis for Advanced Nursing
- Public Health
- Research Basis for Advanced Nursing
- Health Disparities of Rural Populations
- Advanced Nursing Role Acquisition
- Advanced Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics
- Advanced Health Assessment and Promotion
- Health Program Design and Management
As noted, the clinical work you do is determined by your program choice. Work settings and patient loads vary quite a bit between specialties like mental health, adult-gerontology care, and pediatric care.
At minimum, graduate students typically need 500 clinical hours and doctoral students need 1000 clinical hours. If you’re interested in attending nurse practitioner programs online, you need to meet these requirements at a local facility.
Paying for Nurse Practitioner School in Missouri
- BestNursingDegree.com Back to School Scholarship: This scholarship is awarded four times per year. Each selected student receives $2,500 to offset the costs of attending nursing school.
- NURSE Corps Scholarship Program: In this program, you can minimize the healthcare provider shortage in Mississippi. After graduation, you must spend two years working in a Health Professional Shortage Area.
- NHSC Loan Repayment Program: In exchange for repayment of up to $50,000 in student loans, selected graduates spend two years working at an NHSC-approved site.
- Missouri League for Nursing: This group awards multiple scholarships each year. Awards are capped at $2,500 each.
Licensing and Practice Requirements for NPs in Missouri
Your career is regulated by the Missouri Board of Nursing. In addition to maintaining your registered nursing license, you must apply for nurse practitioner licensure. State requirements include a valid nursing license, proof of graduation from a nurse practitioner program, and national certification.
You should be well-versed in Missouri healthcare laws, since nurse practitioners work within a reduced scope of practice in this state (AANP, 2016).
Nurse Practitioner Careers in Missouri
You may find that becoming a nurse practitioner has a positive impact on your income potential and your job outlook. Currently, Missouri nurse practitioners earn an average of $90,410 per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016). Those who work in in-demand specialties or rural areas may find that they can command a higher income.
Through the year 2024, demand for nurse practitioners may swell 25% in Missouri (O*Net, 2016). As you near graduation, you may consider looking for openings at your clinical sites. Local options include hospitals, specialty clinics, community clinics, and nursing homes.
With the right experience and background, you could be on your way to a nurse practitioner degree.
Selected Missouri Schools for Nurse Practitioners
As you explore NP programs, check out the featured schools on our page, which offer online and distance education courses as you earn your advanced practice nursing degree. Some of the top NP programs in Missouri include:
- Cox College. Located in Springfield, Cox College offers a Master’s-level Family Nurse Practitioner program, with an RN to MSN option for associate degree-prepared RNs who wish to become nurse practitioners.
- Graceland University. Graceland offers a full and part-time online Family Nurse Practitioner program. The Master’s-level program allows students to complete the required 660 hours of clinical practice in their home communities.
- Research College of Nursing. Located in Kansas City, Research College of Nursing offers a part-time, Master’s-level Family Nurse Practitioner program. Seventeen of the program’s required 45 credits may be completed online. All clinical experiences may be completed in students’ home communities.
