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Family Nurse Practitioner

The Family Nurse Practitioner program will train advanced practice nurses to provide primary health care across the lifespan.

Family Nurse Practitioners (FNP) provide comprehensive health promotion services to ambulatory clients, evaluate presenting problems at the client's initial contact with the primary care system and provide continuing care to clients with acute and stable chronic illnesses.

The 75 credit hours of the FNP curriculum focus on the knowledge and skills required to educate advanced practice nurses to provide primary health care to clients and families across the lifespan.

Upon completion, graduates are eligible to sit for national certification examinations and to apply for the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) license.

Educational Themes

In addition to clinical practice, we also emphasize coursework that includes an epidemiological approach to clinical problems; family and community systems; appropriate use of technology; cost effectiveness; collaboration; consultation and the referral process; theoretical frameworks; and the research base for primary care practice.

Clinical Sites

Clinical practice sites are generally located in the Kansas City metropolitan area, but may extend across the state of Kansas and other communities where students are located. A variety of settings are utilized, such as family practices; student health services; occupational health clinics; home health services; rural clinics; and child, adolescent, adult and geriatric sites.

The FNP curriculum requires 75 credit hours of coursework. Most of the required courses are available online, although the entire program is not fully available in a distance education format. Attendance on campus at KU Medical Center in Kansas City is required for the following courses: NRSG 935 and NRSG 954. Practicum courses NRSG 916, NRSG 917 and NRSG 918 require visits to the KU Medical Center campus three times during each semester for Clinical Intensive workshops and Standardized Patient exams.

Sample Plan of Study - Preferred Plan of Study

Sample Plan of Study - Four Year Plan of Study

Objectives

The objectives of the post-graduate nurse practitioner program are:

  1. Integrate science-based theories with clinical expertise and organizational management to provide leadership in health care systems and in development of health care policy. 
  2. Synthesize, interpret, and apply knowledge from nursing practice, research, and theory to promote and sustain evidence-based nurse practitioner practice. 
  3. Demonstrate professional values in nurse practitioner roles. 
  4. Communicate and collaborate with colleagues in nursing and other disciplines to meet the health needs of client systems in varied health care delivery systems. 
  5. Use information and technology to contribute to evaluation of outcomes of care, care systems, and quality improvement.

Nursing Licensure

This program prepares students for an advanced practice specialty certification and APRN eligibility as a primary care certified nurse practitioner (CNP). APRN eligibility differs across states and many require a specialty certification. Specialty certifications are acquired through national exams that do not vary by state. For information on individual state's requirements, visit the National Councils of State Boards of Nursing website.

As of July 1, 2020, the U.S. Department of Education implemented Regulation 34 CFR 668.43 (a) (5) (v) that requires professional nursing programs to provide information on how their curriculum meets education requirements for professional licensing in each state. You may review KU School of Nursing's information on licensure by state.

Funded Nurse Training Programs

Qualified applicants may be eligible for federal funds up to $25,000 per year to apply towards the cost of this degree through Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)-funded opportunities.

Learn More

KU School of Nursing

KU School of Nursing
3901 Rainbow Boulevard
Mail Stop 2029
Kansas City, KS 66160
913-588-1619 | TTY 711
soninfo@kumc.edu