There are plenty of ways to choose the best nurse practitioner schools, though not all people will make the same choices. Lots of things can contribute to making a choice such as cost, proximity to a hospital to practice in, location, and specialty training programs offered. People may also make their choice based on school reputation.
On the issue of reputation, it is easy to find lists of the top ten nurse practitioner schools. If this is the most important factor when getting a master’s degree in practical nursing, then people will have ten schools to choose from that are spread across the US. However, getting into the most esteemed program isn’t always necessary, and in fact, most people don’t attend one of these schools. Providing a school is accredited and offers a strong program, it may not be necessary to travel somewhere else. Fortunately for women and men entering this field, there are numerous excellent nurse practitioner schools, and many people can find a good local school to attend.
One consideration has to be the issue of specialty training programs. Many people want to become specialty nurse practitioners, and this means getting training in a certain fields like pediatrics, cardiology, neonatology, or others. Not all schools offer every program, and people should only investigate those schools that have any specialties of interest. Of course, many people also want to study to become family nurse practitioners, and most schools offer this training. It always makes sense to investigate the different training programs offered, to be sure any school considered has the education a person wants to get.
Cost is an important aspect. Most nurse practitioner schools take one to two years to complete (or three for nurse specialties), and this can get expensive. Students may do better at state run schools that have lower tuition than private schools. Yet many people may qualify for financial aid, and aid packages can depend on each school. A few private nurse practitioner schools have generous scholarships.
Another valuable area of consideration is how the nurse practitioner will get to practice in their field. Some schools are part of medical schools and are located next to hospitals. These may provide the most opportunities for practical study. Any good nurse practitioner schools should have an exact plan coordinated with a local hospital that helps students practice what they’re learning. Failure to provide such practice may mean students are ill prepared.
A final thing to think about is location. Many people applying for nurse practitioner schools are already working as nurses. They may want to retain their jobs and look for a school nearby. As mentioned, there are many nurse practitioners schools, so it isn’t that hard to find a program. There are even some online schools, but prospective students should be sure these offer good training programs and are both respected and accredited.
Of course if people are planning on specialty nurse practice, they may not be able to find jobs in the area in which they now live. It could make sense to choose a school in a location that will hire that specialty. For some highly specialized areas, choosing schools associated with urban tertiary hospitals are the best choice since they may offer excellent chances of employment once the master’s degree and any licensing requirements are completed.
