If you are on the search for a path to step up your nursing career, becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) may be one of your best choices. As the demand for healthcare services grows, FNPs are coming on the front line of patient care.

As an FNP, you will assess, diagnose, and treat patients of all age groups. In addition, you will maintain patient records, develop treatment plans, order or perform diagnostic tests, prescribe medications, and treat illnesses, injuries, and conditions. In some healthcare setting, Nurse Practitioners serves as primary care provider, responsible for the same responsibilities as general practice physicians.

But becoming an FNP doesn't only mean increased responsibility. It also has many other perks. So in this article, let's discuss the benefits of becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner.

1. Your skills will be in high demand:
   
   The demand for nurse practitioners is increasing by the day. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics, employment for nurse practitioners will increase by 40% between 2021 and 2031. The growth of this occupation is much faster than the average growth of all other fields.
   
   In other words, you can be assured that if you are certified as an FNP, you will have a significantly higher likelihood of getting a high-paying job.
   
   Furthermore, you can work wherever you want, whether it be in private practice, community clinics, medical groups, etc. With an FNP degree, you can access these opportunities and fulfill the vital healthcare needs of your communities.
   
2. More autonomy
   Getting certified as an FNP grants you greater independence than being a Registered Nurse (RN). In this role, you will be permitted to conduct exams, order lab work, write prescriptions, and plan diagnosis and treatment.
   
   About 26 states, the District of Columbia, and 2 territories offer full practice authority to Nurse Practitioners. These states will allow you to complete all the previously mentioned tasks without physician supervision or cooperative agreements. In addition, as an FNP, you will also have the authority to open your own private practice, especially in underserved areas.
   
3. Improve your management skills
   
   
   
   When you start working as an FNP, you will look over other nurses and support staff. Giving orders and delegating work will be a large part of your job. In addition, you will also have to collaborate with other decision-makers on the patient's healthcare team. Hence, performing all these responsibilities over time will take your management skills to another level.
   
4. You will expand your practice:
   When you are a registered nurse, you take care of a limited group of patients under a physician's supervision. But when you become a Family Nurse Practitioner, you get the autonomy to treat a broad group of patients, from infants to the elderly and everyone in between.
   
   Along with this, an FNP oversees the entire family throughout the course of their lives, so you will also get to make long-term connections with people of all ages.
   
5. You will earn higher salaries.
   FNPs or other nurse practitioners earn a higher salary than registered nurses. Getting your MSN-FNP degree is an excellent way of taking your income to the next level.
   
   According to salary.com, the average salary of a Family Nurse Practitioner in the United States ranges from $108,460 to $126,980. With a median salary of $116,880.
   
   The time you spend studying and working to become an FNP will be greatly rewarded in the long term.
   
6. You can serve your patients better:
   
   As an FNP, your responsibility will be to advance the quality of care in your community and get better patient outcomes. In addition to seeing, diagnosing, and treating patients, you will also get to promote public health by counseling patients on general wellness, nutrition, disease prevention, and management.
   
7. Better work-life balance:
   
   
   
   When you are a registered nurse working in inpatient care facilities and emergency rooms, your schedules are around the clock to fulfill the patient's needs. Night, early morning, or weekend shifts can disrupt your work-life balance
   
   But most nurse practitioners work in offices and clinics that don't have 24-hour care. As an FNP, you will work for standard business hours with limited on-call and after-hours requirements. Hence you will be able to have a better work-life balance and give enough time to your friends and family.

Suppose you love to be a nurse, take care of patients, and want to challenge yourself and treat an extensive range of patients. In that case, you should definitely consider preparing for a career to become a family nurse practitioner. As a registered nurse, the next step is to complete your FNP degree and get certified through either AANP or ANCC exam.