Family Nurse Practitioner

• Emergency Department or other departments of a hospital such as interventional radiology, pain, cardiac, gynecology, neurological, infertility, pediatrics, pulmonary or renal, and more
• Primary care
• Surgical centers or specialty
• Ambulatory care clinics or private practices in internal medicine or family practice
• Specialty clinics or private practice in all types of specialties such as gastroenterology, cardiac, gynecology, oncology, pulmonary, endocrine, infectious disease, and more
• College Health
• Pediatric clinics, school-based care, or private practice
• Long-term care
• Prisons and detention centers
• Occupational health
• Research
• Palliative care

Individuals must hold an active Registered Nurse (RN) license and have a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) or a Master’s degree in Nursing (MSN).

They can pursue either a MSN or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program in Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) specialty.

Upon completion of the FNP specialty program and degree conferral, individuals must apply for board certification through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). Once an individual is board-certified, they can apply for state licensure as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN).

Fairfield's MSN Family Nurse Practitioner program includes 750 hours of supervised clinical practicum experience completed across four primary care practicums. Students gain hands-on experience caring for patients across the lifespan in a variety of healthcare settings under the supervision of experienced preceptors.

These hours will encompass Adult primary care, Pediatrics, Women’s Health and High Risk populations.

Individuals can complete either a DNP or a Master's degree program in their chosen area of specialty to become certified as a nurse practitioner.

Family Nurse Practitioners apply for board certification through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Association of Nurse Practitioners; visit their websites for more information on the requirements for certification.

The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties is responsible for developing the nurse practitioner competencies. This is true for both MSN and DNP preparation.

A certified Family Nurse Practitioner is prepared to work with patients across the lifespan except for patients in critical care and high-risk pregnancy areas. Family Nurse Practitioners can work in primary care or specialized areas of medicine such as cardiology, infertility, interventional radiology, oncology, and pediatrics at this time. The program at Fairfield University prepares the graduate to be able to work with all age groups. Clinical practica are arranged to prepare the student to gain experience in primary care and, if desired, in one or two specialty areas.

The MSN Family Nurse Practitioner program will prepare you to work as an FNP in pediatric settings as well as with adults of all ages in case you change your mind as your career evolves. Primary care is being offered in many family practice centers so being a FNP prepares you for both adult and pediatric practice. If you feel you want to specialize exclusively in pediatrics, you should seek information at institutions offering a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner track.

Being a Family Nurse Practitioner will make you most marketable and enable you to work in any practice setting with patients of all ages (except critical care and high-risk pregnancy).

Students can transfer up to 6 core credits if the courses are similar.

Evaluation of transfer credits are approved by the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies.

Call or email Dr. Jaclyn Conelius, (203) 254-4000, ext. 2757 for more information.