Hawaii Family Nurse Practitioner Programs
The increasing need for skilled health care practitioners combined with the freedoms that nurse practitioners enjoy make Hawaii an excellent state for earning your nurse practitioner certification. According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, nurse practitioners in Hawaii have full practice rights, including diagnosing and treating patients and prescribing medications.
Completing a family nurse practitioner program in Hawaii prepares you to work with patients of all ages, which can make you an attractive asset in the job market. Walk-in clinics are popping up all over the country with increasing frequency, including in Hawaii, leading to a need for nurse practitioners willing to work in that setting.
Regardless of the practice setting, family nurse practitioners in Hawaii often enjoy a solid salary, with BLS (2017) reporting that the median salary for nurse practitioners in Hawaii is $117,180. The demand for nurse practitioners in HI is also expected to continue growing through 2024 at a rate of 31 percent BLS (2017), making the career choice one that will likely be quite stable.
In order to enjoy the benefits of working as a family nurse practitioner in Hawaii, you need to work your way through an NP program first. These programs prepare you for the various tasks you’ll encounter as an NP, including evaluating patients, prescribing medications, and supervising nurses.
To find the program best suited to your needs, request information from all of the schools below, taking time to review each program once you receive additional materials. The featured programs often offer online options for completion, which many nurses returning to school find flexible and feasible.
Family Nurse Practitioner Program Curriculum in Hawaii
Choosing to complete your nurse practitioner education in Hawaii gives you a variety of schools to choose from. An NP degree can be a Master’s degree or a Doctoral degree in nursing with a family nurse practitioner track. This degree requires that you’ve completed your Bachelor’s degree in nursing first. However, there are exceptions at certain schools. The University of Hawaii at Manoa offers an accelerated Master’s degree program for students with a Bachelor’s degree in a different field. If you choose this track, you complete the coursework required for a Bachelor’s degree in nursing and a Master’s degree in nursing during the course of one program.
You can generally expect to finish a family nurse practitioner program in two to four years. In order to finish in two years, according to Hawaii Pacific University, you need to complete four regular semesters in addition to taking classes during the summer.
Coursework at this level is rigorous and multi-faceted in order to prepare you for a career as a family NP. Many of the courses you will have to take are advanced versions of Bachelor’s degree courses, so you can prepare for these classes by reviewing your NCLEX preparation materials.
Common classes include:
- Advanced Physical Assessment
- Advanced Pathophysiology
- Epidemiology I & II
- Applied Drug Therapies
You will also be required to complete practicum/clinical hours; requirements vary between 550 and 750, depending on your school.
Career Opportunities for FNPs in Hawaii
After you graduate from an accredited family nurse practitioner program, you are ready to get your license from the Board of Nursing. You can apply for licensure after you graduate. You have to renew your license every two years. Licenses expire on June 30th in odd-numbered years. You must also complete 30 hours of continuing education in order to get your license renewed.
Working as a family practitioner gives you the flexibility to work in many different environments. While many nurse practitioners choose to work in the variety of urgent care settings across the state, many choose to work in a traditional clinic or hospital setting. Urgent care locations are typically open during the evening and on weekends, so you may have atypical work hours in that setting. Clinic and hospital hours vary depending on the needs of your employer.
There are many different nurse practitioner employers in Hawaii. Some of the largest employers include Shriners Hospital, UnitedHealth Group, and Hawaii Pacific Health. After earning your license and beginning your career as a family nurse practitioner, you may choose to join the Hawaii Association of Professional Nurses. This association keeps nurse and nurse practitioners updated on legislation, offers unique continuing education opportunities, and hosts regular conferences, making them a valuable resource for any nurse.
