EIU Pre-Health Professions

Advanced Practice Nursing

Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) is licensed as a registered nurse. APN categories include Certified Nurse Practitioner (CNP), Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM), and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). APNs can order diagnostic tests and prescribe/administer medications. Graduate education can range from 2 to 4 years depending on specialization. Doctorate programs will take longer than master’s programs.

Certified nurse practitioners specialize in any area of health, including pediatrics, adult, family and gynecology/obstetrics, geriatrics, occupational health, psychiatry/mental health, and acute care. Certified nurse anesthetist’s administer anesthesia in a variety of practice settings and care for any operation or procedure that requires pain management. Certified nurse midwives provide reproductive healthcare to women.

Training for each of these areas is at the graduate level and requires the applicant to have a baccalaureate degree, to be a Registered Nurse (RN), and to complete required prerequisite courses. An accelerated Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) or an Entry Master’s of Science in Nursing are options to obtain a nursing degree if one has already earned a baccalaureate degree in another discipline.

Each program has different requirements. It is very important to identify early which programs you plan to apply and plot out their requirements accordingly.

Advising sheet

Non-Biology Advising sheet