Family nurse practitioners (FNPs) can work in many environments, but primary care is a prominent setting where their contributions are particularly impactful. In primary care, FNPs care for patients of all ages while also considering the health of a family unit and a patient’s genetic and environmental background.
The William Paterson University (WP) online Registered Nurse (RN) to Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) – FNP program prepares graduates to balance family healthcare with considerations of individual wellness. Graduates acquire the skills to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care across the lifespan. Upon completing the program, they are eligible to sit for the FNP certification exam, paving the way for a rewarding career in family healthcare and community medicine.
What Is a Family Nurse Practitioner?
A family nurse practitioner is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who provides comprehensive healthcare to families and individuals, from infancy to geriatric care. Increasingly, FNPs serve as a primary point of contact for patients seeking care, notes Johnson & Johnson.
Their responsibilities typically include:
- Conducting physical exams and health assessments
- Managing acute and chronic conditions, from infections and injuries to hypertension and diabetes
- Ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests, such as imaging and lab work
- Developing personalized treatment plans and evaluating their effectiveness
- Prescribing medications
- Providing patient education and counseling
- Coordinating patient care with other healthcare professionals
Do FNPs Offer Healthcare for Families?
Like family physicians, FNPs are primary care providers and one of the main sources of ongoing care within communities. Focusing on family healthcare, FNPs consider the multitude of factors — including genetics, lifestyle and socioeconomic status — that influence patient well-being. By fostering strong relationships with patients and their families, they are in a unique position to address these complex determinants of health.
9 Principles of Family Healthcare
Family physician care is based on nine principles, and the scope of FNP-provided family healthcare follows similar guidelines:
- Person-centered care: FNPs provide holistic, person-centered care across the lifespan. They manage acute illnesses and chronic conditions and promote wellness through preventive measures, meeting patients’ circumstances at each point along the way.
- Social determinants of health: FNPs consider the many factors influencing a person’s health. By understanding the impact of social determinants of health — including physical, emotional, cultural and social aspects — FNPs provide culturally sensitive and targeted interventions.
- Disease prevention and health promotion: FNPs emphasize the importance of preventive care — such as vaccinations, screenings and lifestyle modifications — to help patients maintain optimal health and avoid or slow disease onset.
- Risk assessment: Like primary care physicians, FNPs are often the first line of patient care and see the diverse needs of a community. They must view their patients as at-risk populations and have a broad scope of practice to identify risk factors early.
- Collaborative care: FNPs and family medicine physicians form the backbone of a community’s healthcare infrastructure, serving individuals and collaborating with other health organizations.
- Proximity to patients: FNPs living in the same areas as their patients can better understand the nuances and culture of each community, tailoring their care plans to meet patients where they are.
- Home visits: Home visits by FNPs extend continuity of care to the home, supporting families of older or vulnerable patients and those needing palliative care.
- Subjective medicine: FNPs must consider the subjective aspects of medicine, such as a patient’s values and family situation. In doing so, they can offer better recommendations for care to accommodate the patient’s lifestyle.
- Resource management: By getting to know patients and their families, FNPs and family medicine physicians can prioritize resource allocation based on patient needs, maximizing health outcomes and minimizing waste.
Graduates of William Paterson University’s RN to MSN – FNP program gain the skills to provide comprehensive, personalized care to individuals and families. Along with primary care physicians, FNPs make a positive difference in their communities, often serving as the main point of healthcare support and guidance.
Learn more about William Paterson University’s online RN to MSN – FNP program.
