Candidates for nurse practitioner certifications must be able to meet all of the following basic requirements for eligibility at the time of the application:

The applicant must already hold an active as well as an unrestricted professional license in the United States or its territories.

The candidate must posses a Master’s degree in Nursing or better.

The applicant must have been able to complete the formal training for the his or her chosen specialty area of practice wherein the applicants will be going through a certification through either a master’s degree program or a formal post graduate masters program in nursing.

The applicant must have also been able to graduate from a program that is being offered by an accredited institution that grants graduate level academic credit for all courses and includes both didactic as well as clinical components and a minimum of 500 related working hours under the supervision of a licensed health care practitioner doing clinical service in the his or her chosen specialization as well as role.

ACNP

Those who want to be an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP) must be able to meet the requirements being asked for. These are registered nurses who already have a graduate degree in nursing and are well prepared to manage caring for the health of acutely ill patients at an advanced level. ACNP’s should already used to having a collaborative model when doing their health care practice, they should also be able to provide quality direct service for those who are either acutely or critically ill adult patients who have varying health needs. The ACNP’s have an advanced level of education as well as practice skills along with the diagnostic reasoning as well as experience in advanced therapeutic interventions which are considered as the key elements when providing for quality care for their patients.

ANP

The ANP or the Adult Nurse Practitioner is also a registered nurse that has a graduate degree in nursing and who is able to provide a full range of health care services for adults at a very advanced level. This type of practice includes being able to make independent as well as interdependent decisions and is directly accountable for clinical judgments. Graduate preparations help expand the ANP’s role in being able to include participation in the use of relevant research and development as well as in the implementation of health policies, leadership skills, education, case management and consultation.

FNP

The FNP or the Family Nurse Practitioner is registered nurse who has a graduate degree in nursing who is also able to provide a full range of health care services at an advanced level to individuals of all ages as well as families. This kind of nursing practice includes being able to independently as well as interdependently make decisions on health care as well as be directly accountable for clinical judgments. Graduate preparation greatly helps in expanding the FNP’s role of being able to participate in the use of research and development as well as on the implementation of health policies, leadership skills, education, case management, and consultation.

GNP

The GNP or the Gerontological Nurse Practitioner is considered as an expert on being able to provide for the health care of older adults in a wide variety of settings and conditions, they are the ones who are able to practice nursing both independently as well as on a collaborative basis with other competent health care professionals. The role of the GNP aims to fully maximize their patients’ functional abilities. The GNP helps promote dignity by helping maintain and restore their patient's health as well as help prevent and minimize disabilities. GNPs engage in a highly advanced practice made up of case management, education, consultation, research, administration as well as a deep advocacy for older adults.