Family nurse practitioners (FNP) are advanced practice registered nurses who work autonomously or in collaboration with other healthcare professionals to deliver family-focused care. Given the rather broad nature of the “family” patient population focus, FNPs offer a wide range of healthcare services that revolve around the family unit; from health promotion and disease prevention to direct care and counseling across the lifespan.
Because FNPs possess a graduate-level education, as well as clinical training in family medicine, they are qualified to diagnosis and treat complex health conditions of the body and mind. Their advanced training and education also often qualifies FNPs to serve as hospital and clinic administrators and policy makers.family practitioner posing with family
FNPs may work in a variety of settings, including conventional doctor’s offices, clinics, private homes, schools, or hospitals. Family nurse practitioners place a strong emphasis on wellness and prevention, but also provide treatment for everything from mild ailments to serious conditions affecting any member of the family, from children to grandparents. An FNP can be expected to perform duties that include:
Developing treatment plans for acute and chronic diseases
Educating and guiding patients on disease prevention and healthy lifestyle habits
Understanding the changes in health promotion throughout the aging process
Conducting exams
Performing diagnostic tests and screening evaluations
Managing overall patient care regarding lifestyle and development issues
Emphasizing preventative care and disease management
Prescribing medications
here are currently, 200 questions on the FNP certification exam, and you will be given approximately 4 hours (240 minutes) to take the exam. Of the 200 total questions, 15 are pretest questions used to determine whether they should be included in the scored portion of the exam. This means your total score is based on the 175 scored questions. In terms of content and weight for each domain/section covered in the FNP exam, the breakdown is as follows:
Domain I covers sections on Foundations for Advanced Practice, comprised of 64 items, weighted at 37%; Domain II covers Professional Practice, comprised of 30 items, weighted at 17%; and Domain III covers Independent Practice, comprised of 81 items, weighted at 46%.