How To Become a Nurse Practitioner in Texas (Plus Salary)

By Indeed Editorial Team

Published April 29, 2022

The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed's data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.

If you want to become a certified registered nurse practitioner (CRNP) in Texas, it's important to understand the basic skills, duties and responsibilities the position requires. Nurse practitioners work in medical environments with various types of patients, requiring specific skills and training. Understanding these job requirements can help you plan your career path and determine if becoming a nurse practitioner is the right career choice for you.

In this article, we define what nurse practitioners do, how to become a nurse practitioner in Texas, examine core skills for the position and provide salary information for reference.

What does a nurse practitioner do?

Nurse practitioners have various duties, including:

Taking patient information, such as medical histories, personal information and requests for the physician
Assessing patient health status
Taking vital signs and blood pressure
Developing a personal care strategy for the patient
Coordinating healthcare efforts with other medical professionals
Prescribing medication or recommending treatments for patients
Treating acute or chronic health conditions
Providing medical advice for patients
Providing medical resources and emotional support for patients
Supervising medical staff and assigning duties
Maintaining facility integrity and sanitation
Updating or completing medical documentation
Adhering to strict ethical conduct and following all medical laws and practices
Reporting to physicians or medical personnel about changes to patient care
Supporting families and providing care information to authorized persons

How to become a nurse practitioner in Texas

If you want to know how to become a nurse practitioner in Texas, follow these steps:

1. Complete a bachelor of nursing program

The state of Texas requires all nursing professionals seeking employment as advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to complete a bachelor's degree in nursing prior to certification. This is an important step in the career path because it helps establish the minimum knowledge and skills required to work in a medical environment. Earn a bachelor's degree in nursing through your preferred program so you can qualify for a CRNP certification course. A bachelor's degree is often also a minimum credential for employment, as employers typically consider a bachelor's degree a fundamental component in nursing education.

2. Complete a graduate degree

Once you complete your bachelor's degree, you qualify for a graduate degree program. To qualify for a license in Texas, you must possess a graduate degree in nursing. The graduate degree expands on your bachelor's knowledge and skill set and allows nurses to choose a specialization. The program you choose must have accreditation from the Texas Board of Nursing. Students study subjects like advanced pharmacology, pathophysiology and physical evaluation in their graduate programs. If you want prescriptive authority as a CRNP, you need an active RN license in the state of Texas and full approval to practice as an APRN.

3. Earn a national CRNP certification

To become a CRNP, you need a CRNP certification. The national certification process tests your acute knowledge of medical procedures, practices, terminology, ethics and other areas to determine your fitness as a CRNP. You can choose an area of specialty for your certification, including:

Acute adult care
Family care
Geriatric or pediatric care
Psychiatry
Critical care
Neonatal care
Women's health
Community health

Choose a certification program with full accreditation from the Texas Board of Nursing. These programs adhere to strict standards and oversight by the board, ensuring the consistency and quality of the training you receive. Once you complete your program, you must pass an exam to ensure you're prepared to serve in your new role.

4. Apply for a license

Upon completion of your CRNP course and exam, you can apply for an APRN license in Texas. Choose whether you want prescriptive authority, as this can change the application requirements. You can submit your application via paper or online through the application portal. Each application also needs the following documentation to verify your status as a qualified candidate:

A check or money order for the licensing fee, which can vary.
An official transcript that verifies you hold a valid, current APRN degree and when you earned the degree.
Official documents proving your status as a nationally certified CRNP.
A completed consent to release information form, which goes directly to the program director, then the Board of Nursing.

5. Find work in your field

With a complete education, verified national credentials and state licensing, you can begin practicing as a CRNP in Texas. All CRNPs in Texas must renew their certifications every two years. The process requires the completion of a renewal form, which takes around two weeks to process. You can also opt for an online renewal, but certain conditions disqualify candidates for online renewal. These include:

Defaulted Texas student loans
Incomplete mandatory continued education requirements
Current continuing education audit
Different state of residence other than Texas
Personal information doesn't match the Board's records
Incomplete criminal background check

CRNPs in Texas must complete 20 contact hours of additional professional training and up to five hours of training in pharmacotherapeutics for practitioners with prescriptive authority. Additionally, practitioners need at least 400 hours of clinical practice in the advanced role to qualify for renewal.

Nurse practitioner skills

Nurse practitioners have various skills, including:

Anatomy and physiology skills
Medication knowledge
Diagnostic skills
Proficiency in medical software
Interpersonal skills
Organizational skills
Analytical and critical-thinking skills
Patient care skills
Medical ethics and documentation
Medical malpractice awareness

Salary for a nurse practitioner

The average salary for a practitioner in Texas is around $123,339 per year, which is similar to the national average of around $123,473 per year. Salaries typically depend on the area of practice and level of experience of the practitioner. For example, a specialist nurse practitioner in women's health with 10 years of experience may earn a higher salary than the national average, whereas a novice general practitioner may earn closer to the average.

For the most up-to-date salary information from Indeed, click on the links provided.

Please note that none of the companies or certifications mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.