Best Nurse Practitioner Programs in Alaska – 2024

Written By: Editorial Staff @ NursingProcess.org

You’re as likely to encounter nurse practitioners in Alaska making house calls as you are to run into them in hospitals, clinics, and community health centers. Alaskan NPs have full practice autonomy, which allows them to make medical diagnoses and prescribe therapeutics without physician supervision. Accredited nurse practitioner schools in Alaska have a hard time keeping up with the state’s needs for these healthcare professionals. By 2030, CareerOneStop expects the number of NPs in The Last Frontier State to increase by a factor of 14 percent. Here’s some info on the best nurse practitioner programs in Alaska for 2024.

WHAT ARE THE BEST NURSE PRACTITIONER PROGRAMS IN ALASKA (ONLINE & CAMPUS) FOR 2024?

(Based on our ranking methodology, the following are the Best NP programs in Alaska for the year 2024.)

1) University Of Alaska Anchorage - Anchorage

Programs Offered: MS and Graduate Certificate

The University of Alaska Anchorage has played a significant role in improving healthcare not only in the ‘Last Frontier’ but also across the nation. If you are aspiring for a career as a nurse practitioner in Alaska, then here, the college offers two convenient pathways of an MSN and a graduate certificate program. Preparing you for two promising areas of advanced practice nursing, depending on your passion, you can choose either the FNP or the PMHNP track. The college grooms you for career success through rigorous didactic and clinical training, in addition to learning experiences with nurse leaders, clinicians, teachers, and scholars. Whether your goal is to further your career or rise in the professional hierarchy, through excellence in education, innovative research, and a supportive learning environment, the college ensures it leaves no stone unturned to provide an effective learning experience. Also, with most of the courses being online, you can juggle pursuing your education with other life’s responsibilities. To get yourself ready for the rigors of graduate coursework, the college recommends being computer literate and having a working knowledge of MS Word, Excel, and Powerpoint before heading straight into the program.

MS Concentrations: Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMH-NP)

If you have been shortlisting nurse practitioner programs in Alaska, then this MSN program certainly should make it to your list. Not only will you complete a quality curriculum from the comfort of your home, but you will also be able to go through clinical experiences within your community. To be eligible for either the FNP or PMHNP track, the college requires you to have an unencumbered RN license in Alaska and BSN with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Also, you must have completed an undergraduate research course in statistics and research with a minimum grade of 2.0. The college reviews application holistically, so ensure you highlight various pointers such as professional nursing experience, leadership activities, healthcare experiences, proficiency in languages, and any professional or personal achievements. Upon acceptance into either of the tracks, you begin with an orientation, followed by core and specialty-specific courses. To earn your MSN-NP degree, the college requires you to maintain a minimum grade B in all the courses. Both programs require completing 50 credits and take 7 to 9 semesters of full-time study. The core courses, common to both the tracks teach you advanced practice informatics, advanced nursing leadership, nursing health policy, and evidence-based practice. If you choose the FNP area of focus, you will master skills in the management of health in primary care settings, whereas the PMHNP concentration trains you to treat mental health patients of all ages.

Graduate Certificate Concentrations: Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMH-NP)

This online nurse practitioner program in Alaska is designed for certified APRNs seeking to specialize in family health or psychiatric mental health. Regardless of the track you choose, you will complete the program in 3 to 5 months, when enrolled, part-time. The curriculum builds up on your MSN or DNP and based on the NP courses that you have completed previously, a plan is tailored to suit your learning requirements, more so if you are opting for the FNP track. Whereas, should you enroll in the PMHNP, regardless of your previous NP population focus, to be eligible for the PMHNP certification, you must complete 23 credits.


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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are the Total Number of Accredited NP Programs in Alaska?

The American Association of Nurse Practitioners reports that currently there are Three accredited nurse practitioner programs in Alaska.




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