Delaware Family Nurse Practitioner Programs
There are many reasons that make Delaware a great state for you to expand your nursing education and start your career as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP). With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, and continued health care reform changes occurring, the need for family nurse practitioners is increasing, as a result of many more Americans who now have access to primary care. The need arises as there are fewer Primary Care Providers from whom to receive care. Becoming a Family NP can help bridge the gap between those seeking primary care and those providing services.
A family Nurse Practitioner program builds upon your foundation of nursing knowledge, expanding your scope and practice, while meanwhile enhancing your role as a nurse leader. Between lectures and clinical courses, your family nurse practitioner program can prepare you for the ever-expanding role of a nurse practitioner, which can further your nursing career.
At BestNursingDegree.com, we believe that we can help to transform the Future of Nursing, one educated nurse at a time. We want to help you find the right program and the right school to meet your own educational needs. We have provided a full listing of all the FNP program options in Delaware, saving you valuable search time as you move your education forward.
To learn more about program specifics at each school, simply click on the school you are looking into, and submit a request for information. You can request materials from multiple schools, and we encourage you to investigate each one thoroughly. Your nursing education can have a significant effect on your career, and we aim to provide you with the valuable information you need to choose the right program. If you have any additional questions after visiting our site, please email them to us at [email protected].
Family Nurse Practitioner Curriculum
The variety of Nurse Practitioner programs in Delaware means that you can choose the one that best fits your needs. In general, nurse practitioner programs take between two and four years to complete. Some schools, including Wilmington University, give you up to five years to complete your degree once you start it, however, full-time students can generally expect to finish their program in 2 1/2 years.
Some schools have work experience requirements, so it’s important to know all of the requirements before applying. For example, the University of Delaware requires that you have one year of full-time work experience as a registered nurse. Much of your previous nursing experience will be incorporated into your expanding role and knowledge base, and you should be able to draw insight from situations you have already been in within the healthcare setting.
Many of the courses at this level build upon what you learned during your Bachelor’s degree in nursing. Courses required in almost every FNP program include Advanced Pathophysiology, Statistics, Advanced Pharmacology, Nursing Leadership, Business Management for the Nurse Practitioner and Advanced Health Assessment.
There are also significant clinical experience requirements to complete a Family Nurse Practitioner program, which may differ slightly from school to school. Typical clinical requirements range from 600 to 800 hours and are focused upon incorporating what you learn in lecture with your hands on practice. Many programs, including the University of Delaware, require students to complete a research project, preparing you to design, implement and provide evidence-based nursing care to your future patients.
As you explore your options for FNP programs, keep in mind that the growing need for family nurse practitioners means that there are also several scholarships you can apply for. A nationwide initiative to increase the number of nurse practitioner students, along with the call to expand their professional role, has resulted in several educational opportunities that did not previously exist.
Financing your Family Nurse Practitioner Program in Delaware
The Delaware Health Council awards scholarships to graduate students that demonstrate financial need and academic merit, and the Jeanne K. Buxbaum Nursing Scholarship is available to graduate students as well. You can also find a full listing of nursing scholarships compiled by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing here.
Career Opportunities for Family Nurse Practitioners in Delaware
According to the most recent statistics, job openings for family nurse practitioners are expected to increase by 31% by 2024. In addition to being in high demand in Delaware, nurse practitioners may also be able to earn a respectable salary. The mean annual salary for a nurse practitioner in Delaware is $103,100 per year (BLS, 2017).
After you have graduated from your chosen family nurse practitioner program, you can apply for your license from the State of Delaware Board of Nursing. In order to practice in Delaware, Nurse Practitioners must have a collaborative agreement with a physician. The agreement must cover either your job description or your clinical privileges. After you have an established collaborative agreement, you can apply for prescriptive authority, which then allows you to write prescriptions for patients.
It’s also important to keep up with Delaware continuing education requirements, which require you to complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years. You may be required to present proof of these hours when you renew your license every two years.
Family nurse practitioners in Delaware can work in many different settings, and your education will prepare you to work with patients across the lifespan. You may choose to work in a clinic if your collaborative agreement includes your clinical privileges. However, you can also choose to work in a hospice setting, an urgent care setting, or a hospital. Large nurse practitioner employers in Delaware include UnitedHealth Group, Genesis Healthcare, IPC, and Consulate Health Care.
