Family Nurse Practitioners: Best Facilities To Work
If you’re a person who enjoys working with patients and building meaningful relationships, a Family Nurse Practitioner might be your career. Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs) provide individualized healthcare support for their patients, and it is a pretty rewarding career as well.
If this sounds like a career you want to pursue in your life or something you’re interested in, you’ll be happy to hear that this article will tell you more about where can FNPs work and how they help run those facilities.
What Does a Family Nurse Practitioner Do?
A Family Nurse Practitioner is an advanced registered nurse who takes care of people of all ages. According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, more than 325,000 nurse practitioners (NPs) have been licensed in the U.S since 2021.
FNPs provide patient care to individuals or families of all backgrounds. Being a Family Nurse Practitioner means providing family-focused care, whether they are infants, older people, or other ages in between.
As an FNP, you’re expected to:
Diagnose and treat illness;
Teach patients about healthy lifestyles;
Prescribe medications or therapies;
Make routine physicals;
Order diagnostic tests.
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Where Can FNP Work?
Being a Family Nurse Practitioner comes with many professional benefits. Usually, Family Nurse Practitioners work in physician’s offices, hospitals, or ambulatory care. However, FNPs are qualified to work in a wide range of healthcare facilities, but we will go into detail about each facility.
Hospitals
Family Nurse Practitioners have been part of hospitals for a long time. Hospitals keep FNPs because of their specialized skill sets so that patients get the best treatment from medical professionals who know acute care. Family Nurse Practitioners are a massive help to the hospitals because they have multifaceted skills which help them perform multiple medical roles.
One slight drawback of working in a hospital might be the non-traditional working hours. This is important if you want to pursue a nurse practitioner career because it helps you get exposed to different conditions and patients. FNPs can work in the emergency room, maternity ward, or critical care within the hospital.
The salary earnings are different for each facility, but according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, FNPs who work in a hospital earn an average of $115,970 per year. Although this is good money, many FNPs prefer long-term care facilities.
Private clinic
Private clinics are the best option for Family Nurse Practitioners who prefer to have some autonomy. However, in the U.S, this is available only in certain states, so it’s always good to check your state’s licensure requirements.
The desire to have a private clinic is thrilling, but it involves a lot of other activities aside from health services. Joining a private clinic instead would be a massive step in your career. One of its advantages is working with a limited number of patients and building compassionate relationships.
Additionally, FNPs can prescribe medication or be the primary caregiver when working or owning a private clinic. However, this can depend on the state where you work.
In terms of salary, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a Family Nurse Practitioner working in a private clinic earns an average of $78,840 per year, partly because they have regular business hours.
Urgent care centers
Urgent care is a less common facility for Family Nurse Practitioners, although they can become certified to work in urgent care. In such cases, FNPs prescribe treatments or medications, treat wounds, or assess a patient’s condition.
Since emergency rooms (ER) have a wide range of patients, an FNP must be able to provide primary care services. An ER nurse practitioner must be psychologically ready to work with life-threatening emergencies and traumas in such a setting.
Working in urgent care takes a lot of strength, but it can be rewarding. Again, this depends on your state, but ER nurse practitioners can work without supervision, which is always a bonus for those who prefer to have autonomy.
Another reward for FNPs in urgent care is the salary, which is quite some money. According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), an ER Family Nurse Practitioner’s annual wage is $72,340.
Long-term care facilities
If you enjoy following a patient’s health journey, a long-term care facility might be the place for you. This facility is convenient if you are a good listener as the work involves patients with long-term complex health problems. Physical activity is highly required since you have to help your patients get up or sit down, assist with other daily activities, or take baths.
This is cost-effective care for patients and families because it avoids unnecessary hospitalizations while providing safe care. As an FNP, you’re also required to update the families about your patient’s status and further care plans.
Ever since the pandemic, many FNPs have been working in long-term care facilities, even in homes with high rates of COVID-19. FNPs’ responsibilities have expanded because they had to provide extra support to the staff, families, and residents.
Though not as rewarding as the other workplaces, long-term care facilities offer decent pay for FNPs. According to BLS data, FNP’s annual salary is $68,450.
Other facilities FNP can work
Apart from working in medical facilities, other potential workplaces for FNPs include:
Community health centers: these are often part of a low-income neighborhood. FNPs treat patients who have problems with insurance, language, or costs.
School clinics: As the name suggests, FNPs that work in school clinics (primary schools, universities) must provide care for any student who needs medical assistance or feels ill. Typically, this includes first aid or direct medical care.
Retail clinics: This type of walk-in clinic is usually found in retail stores or pharmacies and is low-cost. In these settings, you could be required to give flu shots, treat fevers, minor injuries, or COVID-19 testing.
Correctional facilities: A correctional facility is not something you would imagine an FNP doing, but this is a significant first step in your nursing career. You might deal with acute conditions or minor injuries.
Wrapping Up
The Family Nurse Practitioner career path can take you to a wide range of healthcare facilities. You could try different settings based on your experience or preferences, but one thing is for sure – the outcomes are rewarding for your career and personality. At the same time, you’re also minimizing the patients’ risk of illness by promoting healthy tips, so it’s a win-win situation.