Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) play a critical role in healthcare. APRNs include nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse midwives and certified registered nurse anesthetists. Depending on their role and specialty, APRNs provide a wide range of care, from annual wellness exams to specialized services like delivering babies or providing anesthesia during surgery.
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Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are nurses who complete advanced education and training for their specific role and specialty. To become an APRN, a registered nurse must earn at least a master’s degree in nursing and become board-certified in their specialty. Some APRNs also earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree.
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APRNs have many responsibilities. They may:
There are four types of APRNs:
APRNs can specialize in many different areas. The main specialties are:
APRN is the nationally recognized term for advanced practice registered nurses. You may also see terms like advanced practice nurse (APN) or advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP). These terms may appear in older laws, regulations or other materials.
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State licensure requirements and what APRNs are allowed to do can vary by state.
Registered nurses (RNs) and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) have different roles and responsibilities. APRNs are registered nurses who complete graduate- or doctoral-level nursing education and advanced clinical training for an APRN role and specialty. Depending on their role, specialty and state law, APRNs may diagnose and treat health conditions, prescribe medications and provide other advanced healthcare services.
APRNs and doctors are different types of healthcare professionals with different education, training and roles. But their scopes of practice can overlap. APRNs may provide some of the same healthcare services as doctors, like diagnosing and treating conditions, prescribing medications and managing ongoing care. Their specific responsibilities vary by role, specialty and state law.
Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are highly trained healthcare providers who care for people of all ages in many healthcare settings. Their role may include providing primary or specialty care, diagnosing and treating health conditions and performing procedures.
APRNs are an important part of your healthcare team, working with you and other healthcare professionals to help you get the care you need.
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