Indiana Family Nurse Practitioner Programs
Indiana’s growing number of patients with access to health care makes it the ideal place to earn your family nurse practitioner license and start the next phase of your nursing career. If you have been looking for a way to increase your autonomy, make a difference in more patients’ lives, and increase your earning potential, becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) may be a great idea.
FNP programs in Indiana are designed to prepare you to treat and diagnose patients of all ages, allowing you to be a more active and engaged part of their health care. In Indiana, according to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), nurse practitioners do still need to have a collaborative agreement with a physician.
The growing need for skilled nurse practitioners is evident as O*Net predicts a 27 percent increase in nurse practitioner job openings in Indiana over the next 20 years. Nurse practitioners in Indiana may also be able to earn a comfortable living; the median salary for NPs in Indiana is $84,700 per year (O*Net, 2012).
To learn more about your options for study, click on the school links on this page to request information. You will want to learn more about admissions requirements, costs and available programs of study. Keep in mind that there are several different focus areas that can be added on to your FNP track, so requesting information from several different schools is an easy way to make a comparison of schools.
Family Nurse Practitioner Program Curriculum in Indiana
There are many different schools that offer nurse practitioner programs in Indiana, making it possible to find one that suits your needs and schedule. Whether you are interested in a program with traditional daytime classes, or a program that has weekend or nighttime classes to fit around your work schedule, you have several options to choose from. There are even programs that let you complete the majority of your coursework online, some of which are featured in the boxes below.
If it has been more than one year since you completed your Bachelor’s degree in nursing, you may want to spend some time studying to prepare for graduate school. Many of the classes in graduate school are more in-depth versions of the same classes taught in a Bachelor’s program, so you can review your NCLEX material to brush up.
In particular, you will likely take courses in Advanced Health Assessment, Advanced Pharmacology, and Advanced Pathophysiology. Reviewing what you learned as an undergraduate student can make these courses easier, and can prepare you for returning to the academic environment.
Another important part of your nurse practitioner program is your clinical work. During clinical rotations, you can expect to see patients of varying ages and needs. The majority of schools require at least 550 hours, while others require up to 800 hours of clinical work.
If you choose to attend a school that offers a distance education program, you will likely be able to meet clinical requirements in a location nearby, though some schools require at least one visit to campus prior to graduation. Requesting program materials and speaking with nursing faculty are two ways to make sure you are aware of exactly what clinical requirements look like in the FNP programs, giving you a realistic view of what is required.
Financing your Family Nurse Practitioner Program in Indiana
In order to help offset the costs of your education, you may want to look into available scholarships. Minute Clinic offers 30 scholarships to nurse practitioner students on an annual basis. In addition, the Union Hospital Foundation provides scholarships to nurse practitioner students as well. You can also check with AACN website and your state nurses association for additional scholarship opportunities.
Working as a Family Nurse Practitioner in Indiana
Getting your advanced practice license is the next step after graduating from an accredited Family Nurse Practitioner program. All licensing is done through the Indiana State Board of Nursing. If you wish, you can also apply for prescriptive authority, which allows you to prescribe medication.
After that, you must keep up on your license renewal in order to continue practicing. Licenses must be renewed by October 31 every odd-numbered year.
As a Family Nurse Practitioner, you will have the opportunity to practice in many different settings. Some choose to work in urgent care centers, nurse managed clinics and home health agencies. The continued development of walk-in clinics provides an opportunity for nurse practitioners to practice in a retail setting, reaching a widely diverse population base. Many FNPs also choose to work in hospitals or in private practice environments.
Many different health care employers hire nurse practitioners. Some of the largest employers in Indiana include Regional Mental Health, AseraCare, Wishard Health Services, UnitedHealth Group, and Diamond Healthcare.
To learn more about your options for study, simply request information from the schools offering FNP programs on this page. We are dedicated to transforming the future of nursing, one educated nurse at a time…and we want to start with you!
