Become an APRN

What is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse?

As defined by the Minnesota Board of Nursing Laws an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, is an individual licensed as a registered nurse by the board and certified by a national nurse certification organization acceptable to the board to practice as a clinical nurse specialist, nurses anesthetist, nurse-midwife, or nurses practitioner.

APRNs are registered nurses who have continued their education to obtain a masters, or a doctorate in nursing practice.

Each of the four types of advanced nursing practice have their own educational programs and expertise.

Nurse Practitioners (NP) are Advanced Practice Registered Nurses with education beyond their nursing preparation.  Most NPs have a masters degree and many have a doctorate in nursing.  They are healthcare providers who are licensed in all states. They practice in many settings including clinics, hospitals urgent care, private practice, long term care and others.  Nurse Practitioners function as primary care providers and treat illnesses, focus on prevention, and provide excellent patient education. They specialize in many areas including adult health, family health, gerontology, oncology, pediatrics, women’s health, Psychiatry and others. 

Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) are Advanced Practice Registered Nurses with education beyond their nursing preparation.  Their care focuses on a specific population (this could be mental health, diabetes, or another chronic condition) or a specific field like gerontology or pediatrics.  They might work in a specific department such as the emergency department or critical care.  A CNS manages the health care complexities of the patients in her/his specialty. 

Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM) are primary care providers for women during labor and delivery and are known for reducing infant and maternal mortality.  They have been educated as advanced practice nurses and credentialed as Certified Nurse Midwives.

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CNRA) are mastered prepared advanced practice nurses who provide anesthetics to patients for every type of surgery and procedure.  They provide anesthesia in all practice settings and work independently in most rural areas. 

To become an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) follow the links below for more information.

• http://www.aanp.org/AANPCMS2/AboutAANP/NPCurriculum.htm
• http://www.aana.com/BecomingCRNA.aspx?id=108&linkidentifier=id&itemid=108
• http://www.discovernursing.com/jnj-specialtyID_94-dsc-specialty_detail.aspx
• http://www.acnm.org/become_midwife.cfm
• http://www.nursing.umn.edu/DNP/home.html
• http://minerva.stkate.edu/gradcatalog.nsf/web_retrieve/mgsn-7ammap
• http://www.css.edu/Academics/School-of-Nursing/Graduate-Nursing/Academics.html