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The differences between family nurse practitioners and practical nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a family nurse practitioner and a practical nurse. Additionally, a family nurse practitioner has an average salary of $100,541, which is higher than the $75,363 average annual salary of a practical nurse.
The top three skills for a family nurse practitioner include patients, diagnosis and EMR. The most important skills for a practical nurse are patients, APN, and home health.
| Family Nurse Practitioner | Practical Nurse | |
| Yearly salary | $100,541 | $75,363 |
| Hourly rate | $48.34 | $36.23 |
| Growth rate | 40% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 41,710 | 511,602 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 30% |
| Average age | 43 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A family nurse practitioner is a registered nurse with advanced practice in family-focused care. Nurse practitioners can provide patient care to both children and adults. They have a higher degree in training than registered nurses; thus, they are qualified to diagnose and provide treatment to complex body conditions. Their duties include developing treatment plans, performing diagnostic tests, screening evaluations, and prescribing medications. Also, they educate and guide patients on disease prevention and healthy lifestyle habits. Their advanced education and training allowed them to practice as a clinic and hospital administrators as well as policy-makers. Family nurse practitioners have to get a bachelor's degree in nursing, then take and passed NCLEX-RN to become a registered nurse then proceed to take a Master's degree to get a job as a family nurse practitioner.
A practical nurse is responsible for providing the highest quality care services for the patients and assisting them with their needs and concerns. Practical nurses work within a health institution or private household to support the patients in their daily activities, monitor their conditions, administer medication, and inform the doctors of their health updates. They also coordinate with other medical professionals to develop nursing care plans and activities to suit the patients' lifestyle and keep their active wellbeing.
Family nurse practitioners and practical nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Family Nurse Practitioner | Practical Nurse | |
| Average salary | $100,541 | $75,363 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $161,000 | Between $47,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Lancaster, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Fairview Health Services | University Hospitals |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a family nurse practitioner and a practical nurse in terms of educational background:
| Family Nurse Practitioner | Practical Nurse | |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 30% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | Duke University | Emory University |
Here are the differences between family nurse practitioners' and practical nurses' demographics:
| Family Nurse Practitioner | Practical Nurse | |
| Average age | 43 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 12.6% Female, 87.4% | Male, 14.3% Female, 85.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 6.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 77.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 6.3% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 7% |