FNP-BC vs. FNP-C: What’s the Difference?
Anyone set on pursuing a career in healthcare has an overwhelming number of nurse types, doctor specialties, and other healthcare positions to go through so they can then make an informed choice. But, the choices do not stop there. If you have decided to pursue FNP as a career, you must also decide between the FNP-BC and FNP-C.
It is essential that before you make any decision, you continue reading this article, as we will go through the FNP-BC and FNP-C meaning in the medical field, their requirements, exams, and differences, among other things. You should easily be able to pick between the two certifications by the end of it.
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What Is an FNP?
The acronym FNP stands for Family Nurse Practitioner, which is a type of Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) that delivers primary medical care to patients from 5 years old to geriatrics, regardless of gender, body system, or illnesses they need treating. To best understand this profession, we must go through the duties and responsibilities these professionals have to deal with on a daily basis.
What does an FNP do?
FNPs are responsible for delivering quality care by performing patient screenings and physical examinations while supervising the patient's history and updating their records for maximum accuracy at each appointment. These professionals deal with interpreting and evaluating various tests, reviewing laboratory results, x-rays, and other reports to help them identify the patient's clinical problems, upon which they prescribe medication, and create plans regarding the individual's healthcare needs and condition.
Furthermore, FNPs must follow up on the patient's progress through appointments and treatment options. Suppose there seems to be no positive progress with the patient's condition. In that case, these professionals must discuss and coordinate with other health professionals or refer the patient to a specialist for a more thorough analysis and treatment.
Family nurse practitioners are also responsible for serving as a source of information, counseling, and guidance regarding the patient's condition and for performing any other medically related duty assigned to them.
How Do You Become an FNP?
Now that you better understand the role of a family nurse practitioner, questions arise regarding how to become an FNP and the requirements needed to start this career. So, let's have a look at the general skills and education you need to obtain for the job.
Education requirements
To become an FNP, you must first begin your journey by becoming a licensed RN with a nursing degree, whether it be an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Then, you will also be required to complete a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree, which approximately takes 1-3 years.
Upon completing your clinical practice, graduating, and being awarded the credentials FNP, you still cannot start practicing without being certified. Two of the most common certification options for FNPs are FNP-BC and FNP-C. Only once you have passed one of the mentioned certification exams and obtained licensure in your state can you start your career as a family nurse practitioner.
Skills
Through the nursing programs, certifications, and clinical practice we mentioned, you will develop a series of skills that aid in the everyday duties of an FNP. You are required to have strong assessment skills, the ability to read and work with medical data, computer skills, communication skills, interpersonal skills, critical thinking, multitasking, tolerance, skills in ethical decision making, and others.
Furthermore, you must be aware that there are also a few physical requirements to the job. Some of the duties of an FNP require considerable physical effort, and you might have to lift supplies or even patients at times. A typical workday for such a nurse also demands lots of walking, kneeling, squatting, and in some cases sitting for long periods.
FNP Job Outlook and Salary
Nurse practitioners, including FNPs, are in high demand and will continue to be so for a while. Experts at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report that the overall employment of nurse practitioners is projected to grow 45% from 2020 to 2030.
Furthermore, this career choice is an excellent option because it is lucrative. Reports show that the average salary for a family nurse practitioner in the United States is $111,814 per year. You can expect your salary to be around $75,119 per year when you first start working in entry-level positions. However, with time and as you gain more experience, you can earn as much as $166,436 per year in senior roles.
What Is the Difference Between FNP-BC and FNP-C?
Both FNP-BC and FNP-C are excellent options for anyone on the road towards becoming a family nurse practitioner. However, the two certifications have their differences regarding the board that conducts them, what they focus on, requirements, and the exams.
FNP-BC certification
The FNP-BC certification is awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and it primarily focuses on policy, advanced research, and nursing theory. In order to be eligible for this certification, you must fulfill a series of requirements and then complete the mandated exam for it.
Requirements
The FNP-BC requires you to have a valid RN license and to have graduated from a master's, postgraduate, or doctoral degree related to nursing. Said program must be accredited either by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Furthermore, you are also required to have completed 500 hours of supervised clinical care, and then you are eligible to sit for the exam.
Exam
The FNP-BC exam consists of 175 questions, of which 150 are scored, and the other 25 are pretest questions. The pretest questions, which you will not be able to distinguish from the ones that are scored, function as a way to obtain statistical information regarding the exam takers' performance. The scored questions aim to test your knowledge in various relevant clinical areas, primarily focusing on nursing research and theory.
FNP-C certification
The FNP-C certification is awarded by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and emphasizes the clinical aspect of FNPs, including assessment, diagnosis, plan, and evaluation. To have the opportunity to sit the mandated exam and earn the FNP-C certification, you must first fulfill a series of requirements.
Requirements
Similar to the previous certification exam requirements, to sit the FNP-C exam, you must be a graduate of a master's, doctoral, or postgraduate NP program accredited by ACEN or CCNE. Then, you also are required to have completed the required APRN core courses, completed at least 500 clinical hours of supervised direct patient care, and be a licensed RN.
Exam
The FNP-C exam includes 150 questions, of which 15 are pretest questions, whereas the other 135 are scored questions. The scored questions focus primarily on clinical content such as health promotion and harm reduction, anatomy and physiology, health history, signs and symptoms, clinical decision making, and many other healthcare fields.
How Do You Choose Which Exam to Take?
Now that you are more informed regarding FNP-BC vs. FNP-C meaning and examination, it is time to pick the right one for you. The first step is to reflect on the two exams, the areas they focus on, and how your goals line up with those fields. In the end, it all comes down to personal choice since both certifications result in a license that will provide you with the chance to begin your career in healthcare.
Conclusion
Deciding between FNP-BC vs. FNP-C is not as hard as you would think. Remember that both certifications demand similar requirements to ensure eligibility. They both require hard work, dedication, and time and most importantly, they will both help you reach what you are seeking as an FNP.