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Advanced Practice Nurses

Overview

Advanced practice nurses (APNs) are a broad category of registered nurses (RNs) who have completed advanced clinical nurses' educational practice requirements beyond the two to four years of basic nursing education required for all RNs. Under the advanced practice nursing designation fall four categories of nursing specialties: clinical nurse specialists (CNSs), nurse practitioners (NPs), nurse-midwives (NMs), and nurse anesthetists (NAs). According to the U.S. Department of Labor, there are 64,200 advanced practice nurses working in the United States.

Salary Range

$75,000 to $100,000+

Minimum Education Level

Master's Degree

Certification/License

Required

Outlook

Much Faster than the Average
Personality Traits

Helpful

Problem-Solving

Scientific

Career Ladder
Nurse Manager, or Physician, or Health Care Executive

Advanced Practice Nurse

Registered Nurse

Related Professions