Becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner: FNP-C vs. FNP-BC

Factors reminiscent of greater autonomy and high earning potential make the nursing career attractive, and becoming an FNP-C or FNP-BC is a well-liked alternative.

According to them, over 385,000 nurses are currently licensed within the United States American Nurses Association. Of these, 70% are certified Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs), which allows them to offer primary care services to patients of all ages.

If you would like to grow to be a member of FNP, you should first make a alternative. There are two certificates throughout the FNP career – FNP-C and FNP-BC.

Although each certifications allow nurses to practice as family nurses, there are differences in each paths.

The acronym FNP-C stands for Family Nurse Practitioner-Certified and FNP-BC stands for Family Nurse Practitioner-Board Certified. The important difference in certificates is that they’re two separate issuing organizations.

The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Boarda subset of the American Nurses Association (ADJUST), issues FNP-C certificates.

FNP-BC certificates are awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a subsidiary of the corporate American Nurses Association which issues various nursing certificates.

Both certifications exhibit the advanced education, clinical training and knowledge of family care nurses. However, the trail to every certification and the main target of their respective exams can vary significantly.

The FNP-C exam is understood for its clinical nature. Tests candidates on their ability to evaluate, diagnose, plan and evaluate patient care. The questions cover various competencies reminiscent of anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacological therapies and others. The exam also covers prenatal and neonatal age groups.

While FNP-BC exam also includes clinical questions in addition to tests on policy, advanced research and nursing theory. Like the second exam, this exam also tests candidates on their ability to evaluate, diagnose, plan, and evaluate patient care, but in addition includes an implementation section.

The FNP-BC exam places less emphasis on the immune and hematopoietic systems, but covers all major body systems and patient age groups, starting from infants to frail older adults.

In recent years, the FNP-C certificate has attracted more students than the FNP-BC certificate. In 2022 68% of all FNP candidates decided to take the FNP-C exam. However, over the past five years, the FNP-C exam pass rate has dropped by greater than 10%.

The alternative between FNP-C and FNP-BC certifications is determined by your profession goals, area of ​​practice, and sometimes the ability where you propose to work.

If you’ve got a robust interest in clinical practice and patient care, FNP-C could also be more in keeping with your goals. Nurses with this certification typically work directly with patients in health care clinics, private practices, or hospitals.

If you’re keen about politics, theory, administration or leadership, FNP-BC could also be a greater option. This certificate could also be useful for nurses planning a tutorial profession as a professor or researcher.

Both certifications are highly respected, and neither is usually considered “better” than the opposite, said Alice Benjamin, MSN, ACNS-BC, FNP-C and principal nursing consultant at Nurse.com.

Benjamin, also often called “Nurse Alice,” has held each certifications in equal esteem throughout his 25-year profession in healthcare.

In deciding to grow to be an FNP, Benjamin selected to pursue the FNP-C certification.

“I chose the FNP-C certification because of its strong clinical focus, which aligns with my career goals and practice style,” she said. “As a family nurse, my main interest is providing direct patient care and applying practical clinical skills. The FNP-C exam’s emphasis on clinical scenarios and patient management matched my career aspirations and the type of care I wanted to provide.”

She also felt that the certification process conducted by AANP and its certification board was easy and suited to her preparation and academic resources.

“Ultimately, the decision between FNP-C and FNP-BC is a personal one, and I encourage other nurses to consider their career goals, preferred exam field, and any regional or employer preferences when making a choice,” Benjamin said. “Both certifications are valued and provide valuable credentials to help advance your career as a family nurse.”

Due to the range of positions that certified FNPs can hold, it’s unclear whether one certification results in higher-paying positions than one other. However, the common FNP salary within the United States is $121,712 per yr, based on Glassdoor.

The two exams also differ in renewal requirements. The ANCC requires completion of 75 hours of constant education (including 25 hours of pharmacology) to renew the FNP-BC.

AANP requires 100 hours of constant education (including 25 hours of pharmacology) and no less than 1,000 hours of practice to renew the FNP-C. However, nurses may decide to recertify by taking an exam.

If you’re considering a profession as a family nurse practitioner, understanding these distinctions is crucial to creating an informed decision about your future profession. Regardless of which path you select, each certifications open the door to a rewarding profession in healthcare.