Registered nurses with considerable experience in a specialised area of practice may be ready to take the next step in their careers. For some, this next step involves becoming a nurse practitioner.
Nurse practitioners are not only essential in our healthcare system but are also in demand across Australia, making this role an attractive option for those seeking career development.
So, what are the study paths available for this specialisation? And what requirements must be met in order to qualify? In this guide, we explore how to become a nurse practitioner and explain why the online learning environment is especially beneficial for this qualification.
The demand for nurse practitioners
A nurse practitioner plays a crucial role in the Australian healthcare system. As experienced clinical nurses, their responsibilities centre around providing quality patient-focused care.
There are only around 2,425 endorsed nurse practitioners in Australia. These highly qualified professionals possess in-demand skills that our healthcare system needs.
Registered nurses ready to progress their careers and focus on a specialty might wonder how to become a nurse practitioner in Australia. Although this is a well-regarded role, becoming a nurse practitioner involves fulfilling several components.
How to become a nurse practitioner
Due to national registration standards, there are rigorous educational requirements and endorsements that a registered nurse has to meet in order to advance their career as a nurse practitioner. The process of becoming a nurse practitioner includes:
- Having current registration as a Division 1 Registered Nurse in Australia with no restrictions or conditions on your registration relating to professional practice.
- Demonstrating that you have the relevant experience of at least 5,000 hours (the equivalent of three years of full-time experience) at an advanced clinical practice level in the past six years to be eligible to study.
- Completing a Nursing and Midwifery Board-approved nurse practitioner master's degree.
- Applying for endorsement by AHPRA. Once endorsed, you can begin working as a nurse practitioner.
The courses below are listed by qualification level, from lowest to highest.
Why become a nurse practitioner?
For Jessica Kumar, a child health nurse and lactation consultant at Coast Life Families, becoming a nurse practitioner was an obvious next step in her career.
“For many nurses, there is the capacity to become leaders in their areas or experts in their wards,” she says. “But often, as we rise through the ranks in nursing, management becomes more and more of your role instead.
“I found the best way to advance clinically without becoming a manager was to become a nurse practitioner.”
In this innovative and independent clinical nursing role, nurse practitioners work in speciality practice areas appropriate to their experience. These are some common settings for a nurse practitioner:
- Family health care
- Emergency and acute care
- Ageing and palliative care
- Primary health care
- Chronic and complex care
Studying options to become a nurse practitioner
The study path towards becoming an endorsed nurse practitioner typically involves a master’s degree. However, other options exist for students who don’t meet the entry requirements for a master’s.
Sometimes, a course like James Cook University’s online Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma in Nursing Majoring in Advanced Practice can be a stepping stone in the desired direction.
And when it comes to thinking about ongoing education for roles like a nurse practitioner or nurse educator, Jessica’s advice is to view each course with the bigger picture in mind.
“When you study online, the courses are structured so that everything you learn points you towards the assessments,” she says. “Looking at the assessments in your first week and having a big-picture view of them can help.”
The online study format also comes with specific benefits, particularly for nurses. For Jessica, flexibility, accessibility and understanding are the most obvious advantages.
“I wanted to study with a quality university in South Australia, but I live in Queensland, so studying online is obviously a huge benefit,” she says. “Also, gaining the perspective from other nurses I’m studying with has helped to widen my own.”
There’s also the advantage of making the study fit with your schedule. “Online study is a lot more flexible,” she says. “I can look at my clinical workload and personal responsibilities before I figure out what I need to study that week, so it’s a lot more manageable.”
Most nurses are dealing with busy and even chaotic schedules, so online study is a great option for those who want to become a nurse practitioner.
The next step in your nursing career
Ready to become a nurse practitioner? Explore a range of postgraduate nurse practitioner degrees to advance your nursing career. If you have any questions about these courses, you can reach out to our Education Consultant for more information.
