Why We Need More Diversity Among Family Nurse Practitioners

By Ernest Hamilton , Parent Herald May 26, 08:45 am

Family nurse practitioners play a vital role in their communities, helping to care for people all across their lifespan and often choosing to focus particularly on those communities that are underserved. That's why, in addition to having advanced skills and specialist knowledge, it's critical for the nursing workforce to reflect the diversity of the populations that they look after. Read on to find out more about the role of a family nurse practitioner, why diversity is important for the industry, and how you can get qualified.

What is a family nurse practitioner?

A family nurse practitioner, also known as an FNP, is a type of advanced nurse. They undertake a high level of education and clinical training on online BSN to DNP programs or similar degree courses, enabling them to enjoy a greater amount of independence at work compared to registered nurses (RNs).

FNPs tend to be employed in family practice or clinical settings - including hospitals, schools, ambulatory care facilities, physician's offices, and community clinics - and treat patients of all ages and backgrounds. In fact, they often work with many family members and see the same individuals throughout their lives.

A large part of the work of an FNP is promoting health and wellness, educating those in their care about disease prevention and healthy living. As a family nurse practitioner, you also have the option to become certified in a subspecialty that interests you, such as pediatrics, critical care, or gerontology.

Due to the fact that family nurse practitioners work with such a broad range of patients, the duties they perform are equally varied. As an overview, the following list gives a good idea of what the role involves after qualifying from online BSN to DNP programs:

Conducting routine physical examinations
Ordering diagnostic tests and procedures
Interpreting diagnostic tests
Assessing health conditions
Diagnosing health conditions and illnesses
Treating a wide range of health conditions and diseases
Prescribing medications
Developing treatment plans for both chronic and acute illnesses
Assisting with minor surgical procedures
Teaching patients about healthy eating, exercise, and other lifestyle changes
Collaborating with other healthcare professionals
Referring patients to other healthcare professionals where appropriate

The nature of the work means that a key aspect of being an FNP is building relationships with your patients and getting to know them and their families. This enables you to build trust with those in your care and treat them more effectively.

Why is diversity important for family nurse practitioners?

It should go without saying that diversity is important in every profession and in every industry. Just as the country's population as a whole is very diverse, the population of family nurse practitioners meeting their healthcare needs should be too. A wide range of factors influence a patient's wellbeing, and a diverse nursing service will enable these to be better understood and therefore improve patient outcomes.

There are a number of ways in which this can manifest. Firstly, and perhaps most obviously, there is language. It's critical for patients to communicate with their healthcare providers to explain their needs, describe their symptoms, understand the advice they are given, and so on. Healthcare often involves complicated notions and terminology, which can make this especially difficult when consultations are conducted in someone's second language. Having a diverse nursing workforce makes it more likely that communication issues can be resolved easily.

In addition, research has found that a diverse nursing workforce improves healthcare outcomes for minority populations by better serving vulnerable communities and therefore increasing engagement and access to healthcare. Thus increasing diversity among family nurse practitioners can lead to better healthcare equality overall.

How can diversity among FNPs be increased?

Of course, there is no easy answer to this question; however, there are several issues that can be addressed to help boost diversity among family nurse practitioners. Firstly increasing diversity among the nursing faculty who teach on online BSN to DNP programs and other higher degrees in nursing could encourage more underrepresented students to enroll. In addition, access to higher education is often more difficult for those from underprivileged backgrounds due to expensive tuition fees and other costs, so increasing the availability of scholarships and financial aid could make a big difference.

Finally, outreach campaigns by colleges could be effective at encouraging a broader range of people to apply for online BSN to DNP programs and similar top-level nursing qualifications. Many universities have had success with campaigns aimed at increasing the number of women studying science and math, so there's no reason why colleges couldn't use similar methods to boost the diversity of applicants to their nursing programs.

How do I become a family nurse practitioner?

If reading this has inspired you to look into online BSN to DNP programs and retrain as a family nurse practitioner, that's fantastic news! There are a number of different pathways you can take in order to become eligible for the role; however, the following is perhaps the most common:

Earn a bachelor of science in nursing degree (BSN). This normally takes around four years and involves both academic study and clinical experience.
Get licensed as a registered nurse (RN). The requirements for this vary by state, but no matter where you intend to work, you will be required to sit and pass the National Council Licensure Examination (commonly known as the NCLEX-RN).
Build up your clinical experience and specialist knowledge by working as a registered nurse in a relevant healthcare setting.
Earn a master of science in nursing degree (MSN) or a doctor of nursing practice degree (DNP). You'll want to choose a program that specializes in modules related to the role of an FNP.
Become certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner. You'll need to check the specific requirements for your state, but normally this involves having a current, active RN license, an accredited master's or doctoral degree in nursing, and a certain number of supervised clinical hours completed. You will also have to sit and pass an examination run by either the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).

Should I take an MSN or a DNP?

There are many factors to consider when choosing between studying at the master's level or the doctoral level. Firstly, there's the length of the course. An MSN usually takes two years to complete on a full-time basis if you have a BSN, whereas a DNP usually takes three or four years full time. Thus, if you hope to start work as an FNP quickly, an MSN might be more appropriate for you.

On the flip side, the DNP is a higher level qualification and, as such, will enable you to develop your specialist knowledge and clinical skills to a greater level. Therefore if you are keen to delve as deeply as possible into nursing and prepare yourself for the very top jobs in the field, online BSN to DNP programs could be the best choice. It's also worth noting that having a DNP might open up more doors for you and increase your earning potential to a higher level than an MSN.

At the time of writing, both the MSN and DNP are acceptable qualifications in order to become an FNP. However, there is talk that the requirement will be raised so that having a DNP is mandatory, in which case online BSN to DNP programs might be the more sensible option to choose. Having said that, the DNP is a longer and more challenging program, so you shouldn't feel pressured to make that commitment if you're unsure about it. After all, you can always choose to study for the DNP after gaining your MSN if you want to.

It's possible to take both on-campus and online BSN to DNP programs and BSN to MSN programs, with the choice between full-time study and part-time study available for both courses too. This means that you should be able to find a program that suits your personal circumstances and existing obligations no matter which degree you decide you want to pursue.

What will I study on a DNP-FNP program?

Let's assume that you want to study for the doctor of nursing practice, with a specialist focus on the family nurse practitioner role. What exactly does that involve? The program is split into three modes of study: academic modules, clinical placement hours, and an independent research project at the end of the course. This is true both for online BSN to DNP programs and those in which you attend classes on campus.

When it comes to the modules, these could involve a mixture of lectures, seminars, tutorials, group work, virtual learning techniques, reading, and written assignments. Some modules will be core compulsory ones, whereas you will choose from a long list of electives from the FNP track for others. The exact titles available to you will differ depending on the college that you enroll with; however, you can expect a list something like the following:

Theoretical and Scientific Foundations of Nursing
Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning
Clinical Pharmacology
Care of the Adult and Elderly with Multiple Chronic Conditions
Advanced Pathophysiology
Healthcare Economics
Evidence-Based Practice
Transforming Nursing and Healthcare With Technology
Leading Healthcare Organizations
Primary Care of Adults Across the Lifespan
Primary Care of Adolescents and Children
Epidemiology and Population Health
Advanced Nursing Practice in Reproductive Healthcare
Advanced Nursing Practice of Patients in Family Care Settings
Complex Care Across Settings
Diagnosis and Management in Primary Care
Health and Social Policy
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Health Policy and Advocacy

You will normally be required to complete 1,000 hours in a relevant healthcare setting for your clinical placements. Students studying online BSN to DNP programs will still undertake placements in person; however, your college will help you arrange these at a location close to where you live. Your clinical hours are a valuable opportunity to network with other professionals in your field, gain experience in real-world settings, and receive feedback and advice from the experts.

The DNP project is the biggest piece of work you will complete on your course. It involves combining all the knowledge you have learned and skills you have gained to investigate a real clinical or administrative problem in the nursing field. This means that you have the chance to make a genuine impact on patient outcomes and wellbeing. Therefore if you're hoping to make a positive contribution to diversity in the nursing world, you could choose to focus your research project on an issue related to this and start making a difference even before you're qualified!

What are the advantages of working as a family nurse practitioner?

There are many benefits to working as a family nurse practitioner after completing online BSN to DNP programs. Firstly, as a top-level role within the field of nursing, it's a position with very strong career prospects. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for nurse practitioners is set to grow by a staggering 45% between 2019 and 2029. This is much faster than average and gives you a good indication of what a stable career it is to move into. You can expect to enjoy high levels of job security, and employability once qualified and licensed.

In addition, with a median annual salary of $117,670 in 2020, being a nurse practitioner can also bring you great financial stability too. The many options for specialization and ongoing training enable you to tailor a career that you truly enjoy, focusing on the aspects of nursing that are most interesting to you.

Beyond that, qualifying from online BSN to DNP programs and being an FNP means that you get to make a meaningful difference in people's lives and the wider community every single day. That makes it an extremely rewarding job, with high levels of satisfaction and fulfillment. Similarly, the fact that as an FNP, you will serve a very diverse range of patients means that every day will be different, and you'll get to meet and work with some truly fascinating people. It doesn't get much better than that!