An accelerated nurse practitioner program can be a great option for a registered nurse who wants to take on more responsibility and a more active role in patient care, diagnosis and treatment. An accelerated nursing program lets students move through the required course work more quickly than a traditional program does. This can lead to earlier certification and job placement.

There are two basic requirements for before signing up for accelerated online nurse practitioner programs:

• already holding the registered nurse certification in their state and
• completing an advanced degree in nursing such as a MSN (master’s of science in nursing).

Although each state has different testing requirements, each prospective nurse practitioner must also pass certification examinations as well.

Many nursing degree online programs include the course work and requirements necessary to become a NP. In fact, for those who are already registered nurses, taking courses to earn a nurse practitioner online degree may be the easiest way to earn the advanced degree required for certification. An online nursing program allows students to complete class work and assignments at times that fit their schedules. In this way students can keep working as a registered nurse while they study.

The typical nurse practitioner online degree coursework includes a significant amount of advanced coursework in areas that registered nurses have already studied, but with much more depth. One of the main components of any program is the clinical work that the students complete working with patients. These experiences help the students transfer what they have learned in the classroom to real world situations. As a registered nurse, it is possible to continue working and use that work experience for the clinical component of the nurse practitioner program thereby allowing the students to earn money while they continue to go to school.

Because earning an advanced degree can be very time consuming, often taking two years or more, an accelerated nurse practitioner program may be the best option for nurses who need flexibility while still finishing their degree quickly.

One of the great advantages of accelerated courses is that students can finish their degree more quickly and begin earning more money. This is especially true for nurses because the nurse practitioner salary can be significantly more than that earned by registered nurses. But for many nurses, the draw of becoming a nurse practitioner is not the increased salary but the increased interaction and responsibility for the treatment of patients.