A Nurse Practitioner position is highly sought after by both companies and aspiring healthcare professionals. So, how long does it take to complete nurse practitioner school?
This is dependent on where you begin, what your eventual objective is, and how much time you have to spend to it.
Depending on your present level of education and professional experience, there are many paths to become a nurse practitioner, and nurse practitioner school time may vary greatly.
For a student with a high school graduation and no previous college credits or formal nursing training with ambitions of becoming a nurse practitioner, it may take six to eight years to become a Nurse Practitioner (NP).
However, the overall length of time needed to become an NP varies depending on a number of variables, including decisions made by a person about his or her advancement through the stages required to finish the training required to become an NP.
We will discuss the many paths to become a nurse practitioner and how long it will take you to get there.
What Is the Fastest Way to Become a Nurse Practitioner?
A two-year associate degree in nursing (ADN), followed by a one- to two-year nursing internship – in a hospital or working as a nurse in a doctors office – and then a two to three-year RN-to-MSN bridging program are the fastest ways to become a nurse practitioner (NP).
Students who wish to expedite their NP education should expect to be in school full time for a period of 4-5 years.
An average of six years is required for NPs to complete their undergraduate and graduate degrees while also getting job experience in a clinical environment.
Accelerated programs, in conjunction with RN-to-BSN or RN-to-MSN bridging programs, may reduce the amount of time it takes to become a nurse practitioner.
On the other hand, particular specialties and part-time study might cause a candidate’s timetable to be extended.
How Long Does It Take to Go from Bsn to Np?
How long it takes you to become a nurse practitioner will be determined by a variety of things. The most important element is whether you choose to get work experience between becoming a registered nurse and a nurse practitioner.
Many prospective nurse practitioners prefer to acquire their BSN first, then work as an RN for several years before returning to school to become an NP.
If you choose this way, you may anticipate your BSN to take between two and four years (depending on whether or not it is an accelerated program).
After deducting the period spent working, you may anticipate devoting another two to five years to completing your MSN/DNP when you are ready to return to school.
Again, this will be determined by the degree program you choose, as well as whether you are studying part-time or full-time.
On the other hand, if you choose to become an NP without taking time off between degrees, you may be able to do so in as little as three to five years.
Students enrolled in Regis’ Accelerated Direct-Entry MSN program, for example, may complete both their BSN and MSN in three years.
If desired, those students may then finish their DNP in as little as two years.
Is NP School Harder than Nursing School?
Is nurse practitioner school difficult? That is a genuinely loaded question.
In a word, you will be making crucial choices concerning the lives of your patients, therefore nurse practitioner training will be tough and, at times, difficult.
I know what you’re thinking: “How difficult is nurse practitioner school?” This question may have a different response and meaning for each person.
You may meet problems along the way to becoming an NP that make you feel as if nurse practitioner school is just too tough. Education as a nurse practitioner might be difficult for some, but not for other students.
Some challenges include:
- Advanced healthcare topics and ethical considerations are covered in these courses.
- Clinical rotations require you to stand and walk for significant periods of time (and sometimes running, in the case of emergency medicine).
- Many applicants have difficulty with the testing or exams, and aspiring nurse practitioners must pass the NCLEX-RN and board certification tests to get licensed.
Is Nurse Practitioner School more difficult than nursing school, in other words? The answer to this question is not as straightforward as it seems at first glance.
The first principles in nursing school may prove to be far more difficult to learn for some students than the topics that will be built upon in Nurse practitioner school for others, which some consider more straight forward.
Some students, on the other hand, believe that nurse practitioner school and its advanced principles are more difficult to learn and use in the real world than they anticipated.
How Much can a Nurse Practitioner Expect to Earn as a Salary?
With the Bureau of Labor Statistics expecting a 26 percent increase in nurse practitioner demand between 2018 and 2028 and a reported average nurse practitioner pay of $115,800 per year, it’s no wonder that it’s such a popular career option.
Summary
Overall, nurse practitioners often complete a four-year degree program. In order to get a bachelor’s and master’s degree in nursing, an average of six years is necessary. You can also get a DNP, a Doctorate Degree in nursing practice.
The NCLEX-RN and board certification examinations must be passed by aspiring nurse practitioners in order to become licensed.
These courses cover a wide range of healthcare topics, including ethical issues. RN-to-BSN or RN/MSN nursing bridging programs, for example, may speed up the process.
Ultimately, several factors will influence the length of time it takes to become a nurse practitioner.
In order to become a nurse, a two-year ADN program followed by a one-to-two-year internship is the fastest route.
Working as an RN for many years before returning to school to become an NP may be an option before pursuing your BSN. You can find out what you need to do as a nurse practitioner working in hospitals.
It may take you between two and five years to complete your MSN/DNP after deducting the period of time spent working.
Students may then complete their DNP in as little as two years, if they so wish. The process and timeline you wish to follow is totally a personal choice. Choose the best option for you!