Louisiana Family Nurse Practitioner Programs
If you’re ready to take the next step in your nursing career, becoming a nurse practitioner may be a great move for you. Family nurse practitioners can provide quality, evidence-based care to patients of all ages and needs. This means that you may see patients throughout their lifespan. In addition to seeing and treating patients, family nurse practitioners often work closely with and supervise registered nurses.
The scope of practice for nurse practitioners in Louisiana requires you to have a collaborative agreement with a physician, according to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. This means that you must have a document that lays out your duties, responsibilities, and limits in practicing as a nurse practitioner that is overseen by a Medical Doctor. In general, this does not limit where or how you work. It simply means that you need a physician to oversee your clinical practice.
Working as a family nurse practitioner in Louisiana can improve health outcomes, access to care, and may pave the way to greater professional and financial advancement as well. According to O*Net, the median salary for nurse practitioners in Louisiana is $92,600. After gaining experience and seniority, you may be able to earn even more, and you will likely find that your practice options expand as well.
The first step to becoming a family nurse practitioner is selecting a school that will help you meet your goals. There are many graduate programs in nursing that prepare you to work as a nurse practitioner. To find programs available to Louisiana students, request information from the schools on this page. Information is free, and unlimited, so be sure to submit for program materials from all of the schools and programs that interest you.
Family Nurse Practitioner Curriculum in Louisiana
Nurse practitioner programs are rich and varied in the coursework they contain; this is because there are many different duties that an NP needs to perform on a daily basis. Some of the courses included in most Louisiana programs include Foundations of Advanced Nursing Practice, Advanced Health Assessment, Advanced Pharmacology, and Evidence-Based Nursing Practice. A unique opportunity offered by some schools is the chance to participate in research. Some schools offer Research Design and Methodology, which can prepare you for a doctoral program in nursing.
Clinical hours are typically dispersed throughout the program in order to give you plenty of time to hone your skills. Louisiana schools require an average of 600 clinical hours prior to graduation. Your clinical rotations will test your skills in a variety of settings with many different patients. Depending upon whether you enter a graduate or doctoral Nurse Practitioner program, you will be learning a great deal of information about health across the lifespan, which you will be able to apply to your nursing practice.
Choosing the right nurse practitioner program is an important part of getting the most from your education. You want to choose a program that fits your schedule and that allows you to complete your program in your desired time frame. You can generally expect to spend about three to four years in school if you go part-time. Going full-time typically requires two to three years of school, depending upon the degree program, how many courses you take and if you take summer courses.
Financing Your Family Nurse Practitioner Degree in Louisiana
Nursing scholarships may help reduce the amount of money you have to spend on your education. The Louisiana Association of Nurse Practitioners awards annual scholarships to nurse practitioner students to help support and improve the profession.
Working as a Family Nurse Practitioner in Louisiana
After graduating from your FNP program, you will need to make sure that you meet the requirements set out by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing on their website. You must provide your diploma and transcript, proving your successful completion of the program. After filling out the appropriate paperwork, you can apply for your initial license. Your license must then be renewed every year. In order to renew your license, you have to complete six hours of continuing education in pharmacotherapeutics.
As a Family Nurse Practitioner, you can work in a wide variety of settings, from inpatient to outpatient, and from acute to routine care. The most popular settings include traditional medical clinics, hospitals, hospice care, and quick care clinics. Some of the biggest nurse practitioner employers in Louisiana include Marathon Health, Byrd Regional Hospital, and Elite Health Solutions.
For more information, and to get your education as an FNP started, select the schools on this page that interest you and request information to review. Once you know more about what the programs involve, you can begin to make a decision about where you and your nursing practice are headed!
