Online RN to NP Bridge Programs: Comparing Top Schools

Accelerated

You’ll appreciate an accelerated program if you want to become a nurse practitioner quickly — typically in about three years, though some programs are as short in duration as one or two years.

In an accelerated timeline, you’ll complete coursework, clinical rotations, and testing like traditional students, but your duration in the program will be significantly shorter.

Spending less time in school also means potentially saving money on tuition, fees, and living expenses.

Bridge

Nursing bridge RN to NP online programs are paths for credentialed RNs who want to upskill and advance their nursing careers.

For example, if you’ve become a licensed RN after completing an associate degree program, you can earn your MSN through an RN-to-MSN bridge program. If you pass your nurse practitioner testing at the completion of this program, you’ll be eligible to become an NP.

Some bridge programs provide a pass-through BSN and others do not, so check with your school for details. Regardless, you won’t have to apply to multiple programs, and you’ll likely save time, money, and energy while you earn your MSN in about three to four years.

MSN

An MSN is a graduate degree in nursing that typically allows students to specialize in an area of healthcare that speaks to their future goals — with many offering nurse practitioner concentrations.

These programs take about two years to complete. For all U.S. states, an MSN is the minimum degree requirement to become an NP, though some states do require a doctorate.

Expert Insight

There has been some recent discussion in the nursing community about the NP role requiring a DNP (rather than an MSN) in the future, but nothing is official as of now. Does this mean you’ll need to return to school for a DNP later if you choose to earn an MSN now? This is unlikely. But it could mean that nurse practitioners with an DNP will have more career opportunities than those with an MSN. Keep this in mind when deciding which degree to earn.

Charmaine Robinson, RN, MSN

DNP

If you want to earn your doctorate and become a nurse leader, you’ll want to pursue a Doctor of Nursing Practice, or DNP. These programs are designed to teach future nursing leaders how to turn research into practice.

Earn a DNP, and you can work at the highest level of nursing practice to train nurses and improve patient outcomes. From start to finish, DNP programs usually take three to five years to complete.

With an ADN

RNs who hold an ADN can take one of two pathways to becoming an NP:

• Enroll in a BSN degree program, which usually takes two years to complete. Afterwards, you can then enroll in a master’s program and specialize in a nurse practitioner track.
• Apply for a bridge RN-to-MSN program, which can expedite your educational journey. Most bridge programs require a minimum GPA in your ADN program, often 3.0 or higher.

With a BSN

If you already hold a BSN, you can go from RN to NP online by simply pursuing an MSN directly through a traditional master’s program. These programs:

• Focus on a variety of nurse practitioner specialties such as adult-gerontology, family health, neonatal health, and psychiatric/mental health
• Typically take two to three years to complete; expect to complete clinical rotations along with coursework and maybe even a thesis or capstone project
• Prepare you for certification as a nurse practitioner once you’ve completed the required testing

Adult-Gerontology Primary Care

Adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioners (AGPCNP) work to promote wellbeing for adults and elderly patients. This means they diagnose and treat patients with illnesses and injuries as well as those with chronic and common health conditions.

Nurse practitioners with an AGPCNP specialty can work in a variety of professional settings, including:

• Hospitals
• Clinics
• Governmental agencies
• Private companies

Sample Course: Primary Care of Adults Across the Lifespan

Family Nurse Practitioner

A family nurse practitioner (FNP) is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) with a broad scope of practice: They can treat patients at any stage of life, from babies to adults to senior citizens.

FNP responsibilities include:

• Prescribing medications
• Treating illnesses
• Performing physical examinations
• Developing treatment plans

According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), the top clinical focus areas for FNPs are family, primary, and urgent care, and the top practice settings are hospital outpatient clinics, private group practices, and private physician practices.

FNPs can look forward to careers in fields that include:

• Primary care
• School nursing
• Rural nursing
• Community or public health nursing

Sample Course: Primary Care of Adolescents and Children

Neonatal Nurse Practitioner

Neonatal nurse practitioners (NNPs) provide advanced care to babies and young toddlers up to age two. You’ll often find NNPs working in:

• Neonatal intensive care units (NICUs)
• Emergency rooms
• Delivery rooms in pediatric clinics and hospitals

Because the core of their work often happens in a NICU, one of the fundamental skills needed to be an effective NNP is the ability to communicate with family members and teach them important life skills for when a baby is released home. Empathy and assessment skills are also among an NNP’s foundational abilities.

Sample Course: Embryology and Developmental Physiology

Psychiatric/Mental Health

Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) are advanced practice registered nurses trained to provide psychiatric care to patients facing mental health challenges.

What differentiates PMHNPs is specialized education that prepares students to diagnose patients with mental health conditions, meeting the mental health needs of patients of all ages.

Psychiatric nurse practitioners work in various settings including:

• Psychiatric hospitals
• Private practices
• Assisted living facilities
• Mental health centers

Sample Course: Mental Health Diagnosis and Management