Family Nurse Practitioner Programs in Louisiana

Louisiana FNP Programs

We found 6 Family Nurse Practitioner Programs in Louisiana. There are campus-based MSN programs as well as online MSN-FNP programs available.

Typical curriculum for MSN programs vary based on the specialization and track selected. Many programs prepare students for certification as a Nurse Practitioner. According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, NP programs should provide theoretical and evidence-based clinical knowledge that prepare students for national certification in their anticipated area of population-focused practice.

Entry-level core NP competencies are the same regardless of population-focus and include education in: Management of Patient Health/Illness Status, The Nurse Practitioner-Patient Relationship, The Teaching-Coaching Function, Professional Role, Managing and Negotiating Health Care Delivery Systems, Monitoring and Ensuring the Quality of Health Care Practices, and Culturally-Sensitive Care. This coursework is supplemented with required clinical hours. Most NP programs can be completed in 2-4 years.

Online MSN Programs in Louisiana

Loyola University in New Orleans

Each university offers a slightly different structure or concentration options, but the Online Master of Science in Nursing at Loyola University in New Orleans provides a standard model. Students may select between tracks in Family Nurse Practitioner, Health Care Systems Administration & Leadership, or Nurse Educator. The curricula varies in each track based on whether the applicant is entering with an associate or diploma in nursing, a BSN degree, or a non-nursing bachelor's degree. All courses are completed online with the exception of required practicum hours, which vary in length based on the desired concentration. The University also offers an Online MSN/MBA degree, which may be completed in an average of three years.

Northwestern State University of Louisiana

Northwestern State University of Louisiana, based in Natchitoches, offers an Online MSN with concentrations in Nurse Educator or Nurse Administrator. Each of these concentrations allow students to further specialize in Maternal-Child Nursing, Adult-Gerontology Nursing, or Adult-Gerontology Critical Care Nursing. The programs may be completed on a full or part-time basis.

University of Louisiana - Monroe

The University of Louisiana - Monroe has an Online MSN - Gerontologic Clinical Nurse Leader program. The accelerated program, which is the first of its kind in the state, consists of 15 courses that may be completed in 20 months. Students must complete a minimum of 400 clinical practice hours; 300 of these hours must be obtained as part of an immersive CNL experience.

Typical Curriculum for a Master’s in Nursing Degree

A common path is to seek an MSN that prepares students for administrative or clinical leadership roles. Programs focused on administrative leadership may include courses in the management of financial resources, health care information systems, creating a professional working environment, and role development for nursing management.

Clinical leadership programs may include courses in health care ethics, health policy and theory, and research principles, in addition to advanced coursework in pathophysiology, health assessment, pharmacology, and disease management.

Nursing Licensure in Louisiana

Nurses who graduate from MSN programs that prepare Nurse Practitioners are licensed as Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) by the Board of Nursing. Initial licensure as an APRN may be obtained by exam or endorsement. Nurse educators and nurse leaders may be licensed as either an APRN or RN, depending on their individual training and educational background.

MSN and FNP Salaries in Louisiana

According to data published in May 2018 by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for a Nurse Practitioner in Louisiana was $105,340. This is significantly higher than the average RN salary of $63,970. Overall, national employment of nurse practitioners and other advanced practice nurses is expected to increase 26% between 2018 and 2028 due to an increased demand for healthcare services.