Nurse Practitioner (NP) vs Registered Nurse (RN) 

A big part of what makes the nursing profession so exciting is that you have many options you can take. This variety benefits all nurses because it offers them multiple ways to grow in their careers. Nowadays, it’s common practice for a nurse to work in one area of the profession for a few years and then transition to another. Online nursing degrees provide an effective way for working nurses to accomplish this next step in their careers.

For example, for a lot of registered nurses (RNs), becoming a nurse practitioner (NP) is a natural next step—a way to take on more clinical responsibility as their career grows.  As a newly registered nurse, you may be trying to figure out your next step, whether that's jumping into the nursing field as an RN or continuing with your education to become an NP. Both paths are critical to delivering high-quality patient care and improving patient outcomes. 
 
This guide discusses the differences between these roles as well as some of the career paths available.  

What Is a Registered Nurse?

A registered nurse is a licensed healthcare professional who delivers direct patient care, teaches patients and families about their conditions, and works alongside physicians and care teams to keep treatment safe and on track. RNs are usually the ones spending the most time at the bedside, watching over a patient’s condition and carrying out the care plan.

RNs work in a wide range of settings—hospitals, physician offices, outpatient clinics, schools, home health agencies, and long-term care facilities.

How to Become a Registered Nurse

There’s more than one route into RN licensure. Most nurses complete one of the following:

• An Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)
• A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
• A diploma from an approved nursing program

Once you finish an approved program, you’ll apply to your state board of nursing and pass the NCLEX-RN exam and some states may have different licensure expectations. While all three pathways lead to licensure, many employers—hospitals especially—prefer a BSN, particularly for leadership roles or more specialized clinical positions.

Registered Nurse Scope of Practice

An RN works directly with patients throughout their care. Depending on the setting, that might mean monitoring patients, running assessments, coordinating with physicians and other providers, educating families, and carrying out prescribed treatments.

A typical day for an RN might include:

• Assessing patient conditions and recording medical histories.
• Providing hands-on patient care.
• Administering medications and other treatments.
• Monitoring recovery and reporting changes in condition.
• Assisting with procedures and diagnostic tests.
• Educating patients and caregivers about ongoing care.
• Operating and monitoring medical equipment.
• Supporting patients through hospitalization, outpatient visits, or long-term care.
• Coordinating with physicians and other members of the care team.

RNs make plenty of important clinical judgment calls, but generally they don’t diagnose conditions or prescribe medication independently.

What Is a Nurse Practitioner?

A nurse practitioner is an advanced practice registered nurse who has completed graduate-level nursing education along with advanced clinical training. Since every NP starts out as an RN, NPs are building on their real bedside experience by taking on the added responsibility of assessing patients, diagnosing illness, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests, developing treatment plans, and prescribing medication to the extent that state law allows.

NPs typically focus on a specialty—but exactly what an NP can do as they practice patient care depends on their state’s regulations, their training and certification, and their employer.

How to Become a Nurse Practitioner

As mentioned, NPs start as RNs first, then go on to complete an accredited graduate nursing program—a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)—in a chosen specialty. It is worth nothing that while not every NP program requires clinical experience for admission, plenty of schools and employers value it.

After graduating, NPs earn national board certification and meet their state’s APRN licensing requirements before practicing.

Nurse Practitioner Scope of Practice

NPs are nurses with expanded clinical authority. On top of handling many traditional nursing duties, they can assess, diagnose, and manage a broad range of acute and chronic conditions. Many NPs work in primary care; others specialize in areas like family practice, pediatrics, women’s health, psychiatric mental health, adult gerontology, or acute care.

Depending on state law, NPs may:

• Perform physical examinations.
• Diagnose illnesses and injuries.
• Order and interpret lab work and imaging.
• Develop and manage individualized care plans.
• Prescribe medications and other therapies.
• Manage chronic disease.
• Promote preventive care, health education, and wellness.
• Coordinate referrals to specialists.

Some states give qualified NPs full authority to practice independently. Others require a collaborative agreement or physician oversight for certain parts of an NP’s practice. Since these rules shift over time, it’s worth checking the American Association of Nurse Practitioners’ State Practice Environment map for the most current information.

RN vs. NP: Education Requirements

Both RNs and NPs start with the same foundation of nursing education, but NPs go further with graduate-level training that prepares them for a wider set of clinical responsibilities.  

RN Education Requirements

Your path to becoming an RN starts with an approved nursing program. Many students go the BSN route since it tends to open more doors down the line (especially in specific states), though associate degree and diploma programs also qualify graduates to practice as RNs. Throughout your education, you’ll get a mix of classroom instruction and supervised clinical experience that prepares you to deliver safe, evidence-based care.

Here are the typical educational steps:

1. Complete an approved nursing program (ADN, diploma, or BSN).
2. Complete required clinical education.
3. Apply to the state board of nursing for licensure.
4. Pass the NCLEX-RN examination.
5. Begin practicing as a registered nurse.  

NP Education Requirements

NP training programs build on the RN foundation while focusing on a specific specialty or patient population. Graduate NP programs pair advanced coursework with extensive clinical training in areas like advanced assessment, diagnosis, pharmacology, and treatment planning.  

Here are the typical educational steps:

1. Earn RN licensure and complete the prerequisites for admission into an accredited graduate NP program.
2. Complete a graduate nursing degree (MSN or DNP) in a chosen specialty.
3. Complete advanced clinical hours in the chosen specialty population.
4. Earn national board certification in the selected specialty, if required.
5. Apply for APRN/NP licensure per state requirements.
6. Begin practicing as a nurse practitioner.

RN vs. NP: Salary and Job Outlook

Both careers offer strong job prospects, solid pay, and the chance to make a real difference in patients’ lives—but NPs generally outearn RNs, thanks to their graduate education, broader scope of practice, and added clinical responsibility.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual median salary and project job growth for both roles looks like: