Can you become a nurse practitioner with a biology degree?

Yes, you can become a nurse practitioner with a biology degree. However, some additional education and training are required. To become a nurse practitioner with a biology degree, follow these steps:

• Use your biology degree to become a registered nurse by studying and taking the NCLEX exam

• Next, enroll in a master's nursing program

• Gain real-world experience in a hospital setting among nurses, nurse practitioners, and doctors

• Earn a nurse practitioner certificate

• Obtain an APRN licensure

To become a nurse practitioner in most states you must have a valid and current registered nurse (RN) license and a graduate degree in nursing. Certain nurse practitioner programs might accept a bachelor's in biology for admission into the program, however, most prefer their applicants to have a bachelor's degree in nursing (BSN).

Here is a closer look at the process:

• Attend nursing school

  Prospective nurse practitioners need to obtain a bachelor's degree in the science of nursing (BSN). In nursing school, you study and complete classes about nursing fundamentals, including:

  • Physiology

  • Psychology

  • Microbiology

  • Pharmacology

  • Women and infant health

  • Leadership management

  Individuals wanting to be nurse practitioners need to be sure that the nursing schools they apply to are accredited institutions.

  Most BSN programs not only give you the knowledge you need but also expose you to hands-on experience as a nurse.

• Complete and pass the NCLEX exam

  After you've obtained your degree, this is the required next step. The National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses, also known as NCLEX, or NCLEX-RN.

  This exam is designed to test your knowledge in all the critical areas of the nursing field. To obtain state licensure and become a registered nurse, you must pass this exam.

  If you do not pass the exam, you then have to wait 45 days before you are eligible to take it again. Just about every role in nursing requires you to pass this exam, including nurse practitioners.

• Get State Licensure

  This is another mandatory step. You need to get a nursing license in the state in which you want to be a registered nurse and ultimately a nurse practitioner.

• Get clinical nursing experience

  Clinical nursing experience can be gained by working in hospitals, medical clinics, nursing homes, physicians' offices, and other medical facilities. You need to have one to two years of professional registered nurse experience to become a nurse practitioner.

Nurse practitioner programs typically take between two and three years to complete. Coursework includes many different areas, some common ones are:

• Nursing Practice

• Health assessment

• Pharmacology

• Patient management

Students are also expected to complete a certain number of clinical hours in nurse practitioner programs.