Challenges of a Family Nurse Practitioner

Family nurse practitioners (FPNs) are registered nurses who receive extra training to become nurse practitioners and specialize in family medicine. They are allowed to provide more treatment than registered nurses, but the specifics vary by state. Family nurse practitioners nationwide made $60,000 to $85,000 per year in 2010, depending on where they were employed.

Training Requirements

• In addition to receiving a bachelor's degree in nursing science and being licensed by the state, FPN candidates must work for several years in the field and then obtain at least a master's degree in their chosen specialty. By 2015, all nurse practitioner candidates will have to pursue doctorates, according to Mary Jo Goolsby, director of research and education for the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. This extra training is expensive and adds two to five years to the education process.

Responsibilitiies

• Many family nurse practitioners work alongside physicians, but some provide routine medical care while consulting with doctors as needed and making referrals to specialists. Rather than merely supporting physicians, a large number of these nurses independently order diagnostic procedures and prescribe medications. Many combine these extra duties with the traditional patient education/counseling and one-on-one emotional support nurses provide. This means they often have the same long work hours and on-call demands of physicians.

Geographical Constraints

• Just as education and training requirements vary by state, so does an FNP's ability to provide comprehensive medical care. The lack of uniformity in such rules can be frustrating and may influence where an FNP decides to practice.

Pay Differential

• Nurse practitioners report that insurance companies typically reimburse them at 60 to 80 percent of what they pay physicians for providing the same treatment, according to the Arizona Republic.