Where Do Family Nurse Practitioners Work?

Key Takeaways

• Family nurse practitioners (FNP) work in diverse settings including outpatient clinics, private offices, home healthcare, and rural communities.
• FNPs help bridge the projected critical shortage of up to 141,160 physicians by 2038.
• An MSN degree with an FNP specialization provides the academic foundation to practice in these high-demand settings.
• Many states allow FNPs to work independently due to physician shortages.

Family nurse practitioners (FNP) work in a wide variety of settings including outpatient clinics, private medical offices, home healthcare, rural clinics, hospitals, and community health centers.

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) estimates that by 2036, there will be a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians.¹ Meanwhile, the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis says the shortage could be as many as 141,160 full-time equivalent physicians by 2038.²

Family nurse practitioners can help bridge the gap between the need for primary care and the physicians available for such care, which is one of the best reasons to become one.

What Does a Family Nurse Practitioner Do?

Family nurse practitioners are advanced practice registered nurses with a master’s degree in nursing (such as an MSN degree) who provide primary care to patients of all ages. Family nurse practitioners can often diagnose and treat common illnesses and diseases, make referrals, order and interpret lab results, assist in minor surgeries, and write prescriptions—depending on state regulations, which vary.³

Although nurse practitioners often work under the supervision of a physician, many states are allowing them to work independently due to physician shortages.

Where Do FNPs Work? Common Practice Settings

Family nurse practitioners have broad primary care skills and can work in many settings. The setting you choose will depend on your career goals and what you find rewarding. Common work settings for family nurse practitioners include:

• Outpatient clinics and private medical offices
• Home healthcare agencies
• Rural and community health centers
• Hospitals and urgent care facilities
• School health centers
• Corporate wellness programs 

Below are detailed descriptions of some of the most common settings for family nurse practitioners.

Ambulatory Care/Outpatient Care

The majority of family nurse practitioners can be found in ambulatory care, be it a clinic or a private office.³ Family nurse practitioners often become partners in their patients’ healthcare, helping them to prevent disease and manage health issues over time. These types of patient relationships are exceptionally fulfilling for many FNPs.⁴

Family nurse practitioners who work in private offices can have a wide variety of duties and often a good deal of autonomy. Private offices that hire FNPs can benefit from being able to serve more patients, as FNPs can carry out many of the primary care duties that physicians can, including prescribing medication, depending on state regulations.⁵

Other benefits of working in outpatient clinics and private offices may include regular workweek hours and time off on holidays and weekends, as opposed to often unpredictable and longer hours in hospital settings.

Home Healthcare 

The desire of and need for more Americans to address their healthcare needs in their own homes has created a strong demand for home health and personal care aides, with employment projected to increase 17% to 5 million jobs by 2034.⁶ 

Home healthcare can be a great opportunity for family nurse practitioners who value variety and professional growth. You’ll experience diversity in location and encounter a wide variety of health conditions and situations. 

Many medical organizations are adding home health to their offerings and are in need of nurse practitioners—so the demand can be high. The downside of this specialty is that it doesn’t come with a typical schedule and positions can be temporary. If you’re interested, experts suggest working with a locum tenens (temporary) agency to see if the varied schedule and environment work for you.

Rural Clinics

Rural communities are in dire need of primary care providers. Doctor shortages can leave huge gaps in care. Family nurse practitioners often step in to pick up the slack, working in community health centers and family practice offices.

Today, more than 102 million Americans lack access to primary care providers across urban, suburban and rural areas.⁷ Nurse practitioners are viewed by many as a way to address the gap. In fact, research shows that nurse practitioners represent one in four primary care providers in rural practices.⁷ 

One advantage of working in a rural setting is that you may be able to use the full scope of your skills and training and can have a good deal of autonomy—again, depending on the state’s regulations. You can provide care to many patients who are traditionally underserved and would otherwise be unable to access the healthcare they need.

Becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner

Making the decision to further your education and move from a BSN to an MSN degree, or even an RN to MSN online degree, can help you gain the experience and knowledge necessary to have more autonomy in your practice.

By earning an online Master of Science in Nursing degree with a Family Nurse Practitioner specialization through Walden University’s nursing school, you’ll learn how to work with patients to address common primary care concerns, such as disease prevention, health promotion, health maintenance, and restorative care.

As a family nurse practitioner, you will have the primary care skills needed to practice in a wide variety of settings. Completing Walden University’s online Master of Science in Nursing program with a Family Nurse Practitioner specialization, with a curriculum based on evidence-based techniques, can give you the competencies you need to boost the level of care you provide and increase positive outcomes for your patients.

Walden University is an HLC-accredited institution offering a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree program with a Family Nurse Practitioner specialization online. Earn your degree using a convenient, flexible learning platform that fits your busy life.

¹Source: www.aamc.org/news/press-releases/new-aamc-report-shows-continuing-projected-physician-shortage#
²Source: https://bhw.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/bureau-health-workforce/data-research/physicians-projections-factsheet.pdf
³Source: www.aanp.org/news-feed/are-you-considering-a-career-as-a-family-nurse-practitioner
⁴Source: www.aanp.org/news-feed/the-power-of-sharing-nurse-practitioner-stories
⁵Source: https://work.chron.com/benefits-nurse-practitioner-doctors-office-21893.html
⁶Source: www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/home-health-aides-and-personal-care-aides.htm - tab-6
⁷Source: www.aanp.org/news-feed/aanp-spotlights-five-critical-health-care-trends-to-watch

Walden University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing (BSN), master’s degree program in nursing (MSN), post-graduate APRN certificate program, and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at Walden University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (www.ccneaccreditation.org).

Note on licensure:
Walden’s MSN nurse practitioner specializations are designed to academically prepare graduates with an active registered nurse (RN) license to practice in the U.S. as nurse practitioners. However, each state has its own academic preparation and authority to practice requirements and issues its own license for an RN to be permitted to practice as a nurse practitioner in that state. Learn more about professional licensure.

No graduate program can guarantee that graduates will obtain licensure to practice as a nurse practitioner. We encourage students to consult the appropriate board of nursing or regulatory authority in the states or jurisdictions in which they reside or intend to seek licensure to determine specific requirements. Walden Enrollment Specialists can provide general information relating to licensure; however, it remains the individual’s responsibility to understand, evaluate, and comply with all requirements relating to licensure for the state in which they intend to practice, as requirements vary widely.

Note on certification:
Walden’s MSN program is designed to academically prepare graduates to apply for national certification. Walden makes no representations or guarantees that completion of Walden coursework or programs will permit an individual to achieve national certification. We encourage students to consult an appropriate certifying body for the specific certification eligibility requirements. Students should also consult their state board of nursing or other state agency to determine what certifications are required or accepted in that state. It is an individual’s responsibility to understand, evaluate, and comply with all requirements relating to national certification, as requirements vary widely. For more information about nurse practitioner certification exams, students should visit the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board at www.aanpcert.org, the American Nurses Credentialing Center at www.nursingworld.org/ancc, the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) at [email protected], or the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB) at https://pncb.org, or other nurse practitioner certification websites.