There are 1 year nurse practitioner programs that take a nurse’s career to the next level, offering advanced career opportunities and an increase in wages. There are outstanding nursing program options, whether you choose a program offered on campus or one of the 1 year nurse practitioner programs online. Nurses receive instruction from high-quality faculty members and have access to the same types of resources in both the traditional and online programs.
Nurse practitioners are registered nurses (RNs) that have completed a master’s degree in nursing (MSN), or a higher degree, that have also met other requirements, often specific to their state. Completing an accredited program is the first step towards becoming a nurse practitioner.
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What Can A Nurse Practitioner Do?
There is a growing need for nurse practitioners. The American Association of Nurse Practitioners explains that nurse practitioners are “Quickly becoming the health care provider of choice” for millions of people across the United States. The shortage of primary care physicians is expected to grow even more over the next several years, particularly in areas that are already designated as primary care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs).
The duties of the nurse practitioner help to reduce the shortage of primary care services. Authors of an article published on the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) website indicates that nearly 90 percent of nurse practitioners are prepared in primary care and that the results of several studies show that nurse practitioners can perform 80 to 90 percent of the care that is provided by primary care physicians. Additional research shows that when patients are treated by nurse practitioners, factors such as patient outcomes, improvement in pathological condition, reduction of symptoms, and patient satisfaction are comparable to patients that are served by physicians.
Nurse practitioners have more authority than registered nurses that have not completed the requirements to be a nurse practitioner. Although some duties vary according to the particular specialty that a nurse practitioner chooses in their degree or certificate program, some responsibilities of a nurse practitioner include:
- Managing the overall care of patients
- Ordering or interpreting diagnostic tests or lab work such as x-rays
- Diagnosing and treating acute or chronic conditions such as diabetes or hypertension
- Managing care and treatment of certain injuries or infections
- Educating patients on positive health and well-being and lifestyle choices
- Educating patients on disease management such as diabetes or heart disease
Nurse practitioners may perform other duties exclusive to their specialty such as the neonatal nurse practitioner, pediatric care nurse practitioner or the adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner.
These nurse practitioner program options include both on-campus and online programs. Some nurse practitioner programs are offered in a hybrid format, requiring minimal time on-campus or another location to satisfy required clinical hours. Although most nurse practitioner programs take as long as 3.5 years of full-time study to complete, these programs take far less time to complete to earn the degree or certificate.
| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Central Missouri | Warrensburg, Missouri |
| 2 | Georgia College | Milledgeville, Georgia |
| 3 | Clayton State University | Morrow, Georgia |
| 4 | West Virginia University | Morgantown, West Virginia |
| 5 | University of South Alabama | Mobile, Alabama |
University of Central Missouri
Students that enroll in the Master of Science program at the University of Central Missouri have two program options, one of which is the Family Nurse practitioner (FNP) program. The program places emphasis on the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of advanced practice nursing. The program provides nurses with the coursework and clinical requirements to sit for the certification exam.
Students have the option of full-time or part-time study.
School Overview
Georgia College
Georgia College offers several nurse practitioner options for nurses looking to enhance their career. The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree is offered online and is open to nurses that are able to complete their clinical hours in Georgia.
Choose the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) concentration, the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, or the Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner program. Complete the program with the online flexibility that often allows for completing the degree requirements earlier than more-structured on-campus programs.
Are you already a nurse with an MSN degree that wants to specialize as a nurse practitioner? Consider earning a Family Nurse Practitioner Post-Masters Certificate, a Psychiatric Mental Health Post-Masters Nurse Practitioner or the Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Post-Masters Certificate with just 21 to 32 credit hours of study.
School Overview
Clayton State University
Morrow, Georgia is home to Clayton State University, where registered nurses have the opportunity to earn a Master of Science – Family Nurse Practitioner degree in a 100% online format. Coursework in the program, along with the clinical hours, prepares current nurses to care for pediatric, adult, and geriatric patients.
The rigorous coursework and hands-on experiences trains students to manage acute and chronic conditions, to demonstrate competence in primary care and a commitment to ongoing professional development. Students also learn the skills to provide exceptional community-based primary care services to underserved, and vulnerable populations in the four-semester program.
School Overview
West Virginia University
Prepare for your future as a nurse practitioner when you choose a program at West Virginia University. The school guides nurses through a program that is aimed at ‘pursuing excellence in scholarly and professional endeavors.’ Students have the option of choosing the Family Nurse Practitioner or the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. Graduates of both programs meet requirements to sit for the national certification exam for his or her major area of study.
Examples of course in the Family Nurse Practitioner program include Evidence Based Practice and Lifespan Health Promotion. Sample courses for the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner includes PNP Primary Care and the Pediatric Practicum. Complete the program in as little as five semesters.
School Overview
University of South Alabama
Choose from several online MSN nurse practitioner program options when you enroll at the University of South Alabama. One program option, the Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, provides students with the opportunity to work in advanced nursing practice roles or for doctoral program study. The curriculum guides nurses through gaining the knowledge and skills to provide advanced care to pediatric patients in need of acute care for illness or injury. Students also learn to become leaders in pediatric acute care.
Course examples include Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Neonatal/Pediatric Acute NP, and Introduction to Pediatric Acute Care NP.
School Overview
Northern Arizona University
The Northern Arizona University Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) – Family Nurse Practitioner program was designed for current nurses that hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in nursing from an accredited program. Nurses that consider enrolling in this program should have a broad base of nursing experience and have an interest in providing primary care to families.
The school educates nurses in this program in both family practice nursing and advanced practice nursing, to include the components of healthcare delivery systems, knowledge and management of client and family care, and professional relationships.
School Overview
Morningside College
Morningside College, located in Sioux City, Iowa, offers a Family Primary Care Nurse Practitioner program that can be completed in just five semesters, including the summer semester.
Students learn to conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat common illnesses and injuries, and to administer treatments. This particular track also prepares the nurse to focus on the characteristics and issues of both individuals and families in the primary care setting, to administer treatments, and to learn how to educate patients about managing chronic health issues. The program also prepares the nurse practitioner to become a recognized leader in their field.
School Overview
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing offers unique options with its 1 year nurse practitioner programs. The Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program features the nurse’s choice of three concentrations within that nurse practitioner program. The concentrations allow nurses to focus primarily on the area where they really want to work.
Choose the Acute/Chronic Care concentration and focus on the commitment to follow children and their families throughout chronic childhood illnesses. The Critical Care concentration prepares nurses with advanced practice skills to care for pediatric patients that are critically ill and in pediatric critical care units or in cardiac intensive care units. The Oncology concentration is the first of its kind in the U.S., and prepares nurses to specifically provide comprehensive care to children with cancer and their families.
School Overview
LaSalle University
LaSalle University takes registered nurses along a path to explore psychological, economic, environmental, social, and cultural influences on health care. Nurses progress through the accelerated nursing program that is grounded in evidence-based practice, theory, advanced research and clinical practice. The program also trains nurses for leadership roles and to become agents for change in nursing and healthcare.
The accelerated program features multiple start dates throughout the year. Complete the program in just 20 months.
School Overview
Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University offers several nurse practitioner programs. Consider the MSN Family Nurse Practitioner, the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, or Pediatric Nurse Practitioner concentration.
The Family Nurse Practitioner program takes a holistic approach to healthcare and nursing, and prepares nurses to provide a full range of primary care services to individuals and families throughout the lifespan. The Pediatric Nurse practitioner program prepares graduates to provide a full range of nursing care and services to pediatric patients in the primary care setting. The Neonatal Nurse Practitioner program, also an online program, prepares nurses to provide ‘population-focused health care’ to pre-term and full-term neonates, infants and young children through two years of age. Each concentration requires just five semesters of study to complete the program.
School Overview
University of Mobile
The Master of Science in Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner program at the University of Mobile prepares nurses to expand their current knowledge and skills to manage the primary healthcare of children, adults, and childbearing women across a variety of healthcare settings.
Nurses in the online program prepare to promote the health and the healthcare education of individuals, groups and families. Students in the program learn though cutting-edge simulations and technologies.
Complete the program in just four semesters.
School Overview
Angelo State University
The Angelo State University Master of Science in Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program is offered online. Baccalaureate prepared nurses that want to advance their career and earn better wages have the opportunity to enjoy the flexibility offered by completing an online program, with very few campus visits. Another benefit is that students often complete a program in less time because of the flexibility.
The program prepares current nurse to provide family care for patients across the lifespan, with a focus on health promotion and disease prevention. Course examples include Population Health Epidemiology for Advanced Nursing, and Advanced Pathophysiology.
The school also offers a Post-Masters Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate, which requires 25 credit hours of study.
School Overview
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester explains that the clinical experience is a crucial part of the nurse practitioner’s education. The university offers six nurse practitioner programs of varying length and credit hours. The other nurse practitioner programs still offer excellent opportunities, although they require up to 55 credit hours of courses and 672 clinical hours.
Nurses that complete the University of Rochester Pediatric/Neonatal Nurse Practitioner program are prepared to provide advanced nursing care for neonates and for infants in need of low risk to high risk care. Graduates are prepared to work in neonatal inpatient care, delivery rooms, outpatient care settings and a variety of other settings. Most nurse practitioners that graduate from the program work in neonatal intensive care units (NICU).
School Overview
Northeastern University
The Family Nurse Practitioner MSN program at Northeastern University is offered in a hybrid format, with students required to visit campus for presentations twice each semester. The rest of the program is completed online.
The program focuses on educating nurses to provide evidence-based healthcare to patients, including individuals, families, and communities in a variety of diverse healthcare settings. The program also prepares students to become leaders in their field, to collaborate and communicate with clinicians and institutions to ensure the coordination of care, and prepares students to utilize information technologies.
Complete the entire program in just five semesters, or choose the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner program which can be completed in just one-year of full-time study.
School Overview
Methodology
Registered nurses that want to advance their career may not know where to look for accredited nurse practitioner programs that can be completed in the least amount of time. We understand that a busy work schedule and other responsibilities may keep you from committing to finding the time to search for the ideal program that meets with your career goals and aspirations. We did the hard work for you by searching the one-year nurse practitioner programs throughout the country.
We compared the cost of tuition along with the time to complete the program and then narrowed our list to the top accredited schools that met our ranking criteria. Please remember that the cost of tuition only covers the cost of one credit hour of instruction and does not include required fees, books, or supplies.
Would you like to have your school included in our rankings? Feel free to contact us to include your school. Please let us know if you would like to update the information that we currently have for your school.
