3 Best Nurse Practitioner Programs in Nebraska – 2024

Written By: Editorial Staff @ NursingProcess.org

In 2015, Nebraska allowed its nurse practitioners full practice authority in an effort to make primary healthcare more accessible to residents living in rural and other medically underserved parts of the state. Presently, there are 1,610 nurse practitioners in The Cornhusker State, but CareerOneStop expects that number to increase by more than 40 percent by the year 2030. Once you graduate from one of the accredited nurse practitioner schools in Nebraska and achieve your certification, your earning capacity will be $118,970 per year on average. If you’d like to learn about the best nurse practitioner programs in Nebraska for 2024, please keep reading.

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

(Based on our ranking methodology, the following are the 3 Best NP programs in Nebraska for the year 2024.)

1) University Of Nebraska Medical Center - Omaha

Programs Offered: MSN, DNP (BSN to DNP and MSN to DNP), and Post-Master's Certificate

Counted among the best nurse practitioner programs in Nebraska, the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s NP programs can prepare you for promising career advancement. With an expert faculty that focuses on evidence-based training, here, you will gain an education that matches national standards. The college’s partnerships with health facilities spanning across the state provide you with diverse hands-on learning experiences at various types of clinical sites. The hybrid format of learning that the college offers blends asynchronous and synchronous online classes with limited on-campus visits. Here, you can enroll either in the MSN, DNP, or post master’s certificate and leave the college as a ready-to-work nurse practitioner in Nebraska.

MSN Concentrations: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP, Family NP, Pediatric Primary Care NP, Pediatric Primary & Acute Care NP (Dual), Psychiatric Mental Health NP, and Women's Health NP

This MSN comes with specialization options in adult-gerontology care, family health, pediatric care, psychiatric mental health, and women’s health. To qualify for any of these tracks, you must have a BSN with a valid RN license in the US. Also, any specialty-related work experience will enhance your chances of admission. Regardless of the track you enroll in, to graduate you require earning 45 to 49 credits in core and specialty-specific courses. The core courses strengthen your foundation in nursing leadership, health systems improvement, advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, health assessment, and health promotion. The curriculum then takes you through specialty-specific courses in your chosen population focus.

BSN to DNP Concentrations: Adult-Gerontology NP, Adult-Gerontology Acute NP, Family NP, Pediatric Primary Care NP, Pediatric Primary & Acute Care (Dual) NP, Women's Health NP, and Psychiatric Mental Health NP

This nurse practitioner program in Nebraska offers BSN-prepared registered nurses the opportunity to reach the highest level of clinical excellence by earning the terminal nursing degree. To qualify for admission, you are required to have a BSN with an active RN license in Nebraska. To earn your doctorate, regardless of the specialization you choose, requires completing 66 to 70 credits in core and population-focused courses.

MSN to DNP Concentrations: Adult-Gerontology NP, Adult-Gerontology Acute NP, Family NP, Pediatric Primary Care NP, Pediatric Primary & Acute Care (Dual) NP, Women's Health NP, and Psychiatric Mental Health NP

Now, if you have already completed your master’s in nursing and keen on obtaining a doctorate, then this program is for you. Not only will you enhance your clinical skills, taking them to the highest level, but you also will be able to impact health outcomes within your chosen NP specialty. The MSN to DNP coursework requires completing 35 credits. Also, included is the DNP project as part of your graduation requirements. The program also offers a choice of electives that you can take based on your career goals.

Post-Master’s Certificate Concentrations: Adult–Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult–Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Pediatrics Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner

This nurse practitioner program in Nebraska is designed for MSN/DNP prepared APRNs who are keen on adding another specialty to their advanced nursing practice. With six specialization options, you can pursue an area based on your specific career goals. Although the exact graduation requirements are based on a gap analysis, approximately 20 to 30 credits are required to be eligible to take the NP certification exam. You can complete this program within one to years of study and become a certified nurse practitioner in Nebraska.

2) Creighton University - Omaha

Programs Offered: BSN to DNP and Post-Graduate Certificate

If you are searching for the best nurse practitioner programs in Nebraska, then Creighton University must certainly appear on your list. Here, quality education is offered through the online medium to easily fit into your busy life as a working nurse. The college’s passionate and compassionate advanced practice graduates have significantly contributed towards improving health across the state in various areas, including adult-gerontology care, family health, neonatal care, pediatrics care, and psychiatric mental health. This is due to the solid grounding NP students receive in Jesuit values of community service. Here, you can complete your NP education through a BSN to DNP or a post-graduate certificate program, depending on what your previous nursing degree was.

BSN to DNP Concentrations: Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Primary & Acute Care Nurse Practitioners (Dual), and Psychiatric Mental Health Across the Lifespan

This BSN to DNP degree is open to BSN graduates with an active RN license in Nebraska. By enrolling in this program, you can achieve the highest level of clinical skills in your chosen area of focus, including adult-gerontology, family health, neonatal care, and psychiatric mental health care. Also, if you are interested in pediatrics, the college offers a dual specialization in acute and primary care. Regardless of the track you choose, you must complete a 70 to 71 credit coursework that ends in a specialty-specific practicum and a DNP residency.

Post-Graduate Certificate Concentrations: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, and Psychiatric-Mental Health Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner

To be eligible for this post-graduate certificate NP program in Nebraska, you must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in your MSN and hold an active APRN license. This post-graduate certificate with five specializations requires you complete 19 credits in your chosen area of focus.

3) Nebraska Methodist College - Omaha

Programs Offered: BSN to DNP

As an RN, ever thought of earning the terminal degree in nursing? Do you aspire to serve in primary care or adult gerontology? Well, if you have been looking for nurse practitioner programs in Nebraska that can take your BSN straight to doctoral level, then the Nebraska Methodist College has got you covered. Here, not only will you gain skills to become an agent of change, but you also learn the latest advanced practice approaches in the delivery of health. Also, if you are seeking affordable education, then this college offers you the opportunity to have almost 85% of your loan amount waived, provided you commit to teaching full-time for the prescribed period.

BSN to DNP Concentrations: Family Nurse Practitioner and Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

One of the well-known online nurse practitioner programs in Nebraska, this BSN to DNP that comes with specialization options in family health and adult gerontology primary care, offers majority of the coursework through asynchronous and synchronous online classes. This 75-credit curriculum also includes 1,080 hours of clinical practice. To be eligible for this BSN to DNP, you must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in your BSN and an active RN license. The program starts with an orientation and leads to educating you on topics including advanced health assessment, pathophysiology, pharmacology, research, healthcare finance, healthcare policy, biostatistics, epidemiology, and health systems & leadership. Additionally, the college also offers several elective courses which you can take based on your interests. Most students complete this program within 36 months on a full-time basis, whereas, if you prefer the part-time schedule, you can drag the duration to four to five years. Upon graduation, you will be eligible to take the certification exam within your chosen population focus.


VIEW OUR RANKING METHODOLOGY

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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

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




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