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Advance Practice Nursing Information

What is an Advanced Pratice Nurse (APN)?

The Board of Nurse Examiners for the State of Texas defines an APN as: "A registered professional nurse, currently licensed in the State of Texas, who is prepared for advanced nursing practice by virtue of knowledge and skills obtained in an advanced educational program of study acceptable to the board. The advanced practice nurse is prepared to practice in an expanded role to provide health care to individuals, families, and/or groups in a variety of settings including but not limited to homes, hospitals, institutions, offices, industry, schools, community agencies, public and private clinics, and private practice. The advanced practice nurse acts independently and/or in collaboration with other health care professionals in the delivery of health care services." What this means is that the APN has completed advanced education and clinical practice beyond the 2-4 years of basic nursing education (ADN or BSN). Each state sets its own rules regarding recognition and scope of advanced practice nursing roles, and each state varies its requirements for advanced practice standing. The American Nurses Association has a very comprehensive article about advanced practice roles.

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What are the common APN roles?

While recognition of specific titles may vary by state, the following are the most commonly accepted APN titles:

Nurse Practitioner

Family Nurse Practitioner
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
American Association of Nurse Practitioners

Clinical Nurse Specialist

Holistic Adult Health CNS
Texas Clinical Nurse Specialists
National Organization for Clinical Nurse Specialists

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What is the difference between a CNS and an NP?

Click here to learn about the differrence between a CNS and an NP (PDF format)
Sample job descriptions for CNS’s (PDF format)

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What coursework is required for recognition as an APN in Texas?

Your program of study must include the following courses to be recognized as an APN in Texas:

  • Advanced Health Assessment
  • Advanced Pharmacology & Therapeutics
  • Advanced Pathophysiology

An additional course in Diagnosis and Management is required for prescriptive authority. This is included in our NP programs, but not in the CNS programs, and would need to be taken as a supplemental course.

Pathways to Recognition for Advanced Practice Nursing in Texas (PDF format)

This chart describes the process for obtaining APN recognition in Texas. To download you must have the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software installed on your computer.

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