Family medicine is a health care specialty that involves providing care to both adults and children. A type of advanced degree nurse, a family nurse practitioner forms an important part of the team of health care professionals within the family medicine specialty.

Function

Family nurse practitioners perform many of the same tasks as doctors, including examining patients, ordering medical tests, diagnosing conditions, recommending treatment and prescribing medications. Nurse practitioners also provide education to parents and their children about how to prevent illness and how to care for and deal with a medical condition that affects the members of the family.

Types

Some family nurse practitioners work in physician's offices, while others work in clinics or urgent care medical centers. Hospitals also employ family nurse practitioners, especially those that specialize in the care of children.

Nursing Requirements

Family nurse practitioners begin their careers by becoming registered nurses in the states where they live. Typically, this involves completing a four-year bachelor's degree program in nursing and then passing a written examination known as the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN).

Education and Certification

Family nurse practitioners receive graduate-level degrees in nursing, such as a master's or Ph.D. After receiving their degree, nurse practitioners must pass a written examination administered by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners before treating patients independently.

Compensation

As of January 2010, family nurse practitioners averaged annual salaries of $91,000, according to Indeed.com.

Source:

University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing: Family Nurse Practitioner

Occupational Information Network: Summary Report for Nurse Practitioners

Indeed.com: Advanced Practice Nurse Salaries

More Information:

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Registered Nurses

The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners: Certification