The Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) degree program is available to both bachelor’s and master’s-prepared nurses wishing to attain a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. The future is bright for primary care nurse practitioners as they are becoming increasingly vital in providing accessible, quality health care in the United States.
Most classes are offered online. Some classes are offered both online and on campus. A few core courses are only offered online.
Typically programs may be completed as follows:
A gap analysis will be performed and an individualized program of study will be developed based on previous graduate education.
All students are required to be on campus for the following activities:
The clinical experience for the FNP program consists of rotations through a variety of sites with exposure to individuals throughout the lifespan. These sites include family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, women’s health, retail clinics, school based health centers, emergency departments, specialty clinics, and others. We work directly with students to give them a variety of experiences, and tailor them also to the student’s interests. Students are placed in the Chicagoland area. Students work with the clinical placement team to coordinate clinical site placements.
Clinical practica hours are a total of 756 clock hours. These hours will be divided over three terms of 252 hours each, with the third term consisting of a residency. Some of these hours will be spent in simulation to add to the learning experience. There are also DNP practica project hours for a total of 252 clock hours. As a result, your clinical hours in the program will be 1008 clock hours.
After completing the program, you will be eligible for certification as a FNP by taking the certification examination offered by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners or the American Nurses Credentialing Center. If specific state requirements apply, we can work with you on how best to meet them.
Learn more about the Family Nurse Practitioner (NP) program at an online information session.