What is the Difference Between a Family Nurse Practitioner And an advanced Practice Nurse?
The educational path for a nurse practitioner requires the study of a specialization, causing the career to fit under the umbrella of the term “advanced practicing nurse.” Yet, all advanced practice nurses are not nurse practitioners.The Advanced Practice NurseAn advanced practice nurse, referred to as an APN by health care professionals, is a broad term for a nurse who specializes and most importantly, is board certified. APN encompasses two types of nurses: clinical specialists and nurse practitioners, explained Paula Wilcox-Pendleton, a board-certified family nurse practitioner.The Nurse Practitioner”A nurse practitioner is a registered nurse who has advanced education and training in a health care specialty area,” said Wilcox-Pendleton. She clarified that nurse practitioners “work with people of all ages and their families.”The DifferenceThough all nurse practitioners are APNs, the reverse cannot be applied. Some APNs are clinical specialists, which the National Association of Clin
