“I was inspired and encouraged by my aunt, who is a registered nurse, to go into nursing,” Stephen Ferrara, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, President of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), says.

Initially, he resisted her suggestions. Ferrara knew he wanted to work in healthcare, but was not sure how. His only exposure to what nurses actually did was on TV.

Now, Ferrara not only understands nurses, but also leads the largest and only full-service national professional membership organization for NPs of all specialties. Here’s how Ferrara became the nurse he is today, his thoughts on the NP profession, and his advice to all nurses.

Q: How did you get your start in nursing?

A: Because I wanted to be in healthcare, I became a medical assistant and worked as an emergency medical technician to expose myself to the field. Once I really saw what nurses do up front and close, I knew that that's what I wanted to do. I started as a full-time med-surg orthopedic nurse.

Eventually, I enrolled in a nurse practitioner program to become a family nurse practitioner. I worked primarily in primary care settings, but I've also worked in college health and correctional health, and occupational health.

Q: What has your nursing journey been like?

A: I knew I wanted to make a bigger difference in healthcare, so I later enrolled in a DNP program. I became involved in health policy and with my state nurse practitioner association. I still maintained my clinical practice, but I was also the part-time Executive Director for the New York State Nurse Practitioner Association.

I believed in the idea of full practice authority for nurse practitioners, and organized efforts in New York State to get legislation passed. Now, New York is a full practice authority state for experienced nurse practitioners (defined in law as NPs with >3600 hours of experience.).

Then, I got involved with the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, was on their board for some time, and ultimately decided to run for President of the AANP.

Q: How has your understanding of the nursing profession changed over time?

A: When I first started, I saw nursing mainly as a hospital-based role, knowing most nurses work in hospitals.

However, I didn’t thrive there. The shifts and the confinement to one setting weren’t for me. But then I realized nursing isn’t limited to hospitals. Nurses are in every healthcare setting. Learning I didn’t have to work in a hospital was exciting. It became about figuring out how I wanted to work as a nurse, and eventually as a nurse practitioner.

Q: Do you think the nurse practitioner market is oversaturated?

A: I don't know if there's any hard evidence of market saturation, though I think there might be pockets of saturation of NPs compared to the available number of jobs. For 2024, U.S. News & World Report has ranked the NP role as the top job across all fields, based on demand and future opportunities.

Access to care is a widespread issue, not just in rural areas. I think that the data suggests that this is a growing profession. This continues to be an in-demand profession, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future, as more and more health systems fully utilize nurse practitioners throughout their facilities.

Q: Are you concerned about any of the online NP programs?

A: All programs need to be accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order to provide NP education to students. There are processes for schools that are not following the standards.

There are requirements to be a nurse practitioner, such as having to be an RN first. Schools are following guidelines the accreditors have established. This system ensures that graduates meet established guidelines and competencies necessary for safe and effective practice in the profession.

Q: Thoughts on how the NP interacts with the PA community?

A: I've spoken with a lot of NPs and PAs who are employed in hospital systems, and are functioning in a very similar role.

However, the difference between a nurse practitioner and a PA is that a nurse practitioner is a registered nurse first. I'm not going to call it “the nursing model” because, yes, we have a foundation in nursing, but what we become in school are advanced practice nurses, which builds upon those experiences and that knowledge as an RN.

I think NPs and PAs need to work together. I think that we have very similar challenges, and I think there are times when it's smart to work together. And I think there are times where, because our professions are different, we need to go at it a different way. Overall, I do believe that nurse practitioners and PAs should be colleagues and should be advocating to be able to practice at the top of our licenses.

Q: What is your goal as AANP president?

A: The goal is to build a network and community for the nation’s nurse practitioners. We estimate there are about 385,000 nurse practitioners across the U.S., and this year, AANP introduced international membership as the NP movement gains traction in other countries. These countries face unique challenges since NP roles are relatively new there, but this presents an opportunity for us to exchange ideas—learning from their innovations and sharing our own practices developed over more than 50 years in the U.S.

AANP’s mission centers around the “PEARL” acronym: Practice, Education, Advocacy, Research, and Leadership. Our goal is to empower NPs to advance healthcare through these core areas.

The AANP:

• Provides continuing education for NPs
• Offers leadership and development programs
• Facilitates partnerships with organizations to conduct research on the NP profession
• Associates with dozens of healthcare entities and patient advocacy groups to advocate for patients and ensure access to high-quality healthcare

Q: How does someone know if NP school is right for them or not?

A: If you’re considering a new path in nursing, spend time with someone already in that field. Even with nursing experience, you may not see the full picture of a role like nurse practitioner or nurse anesthetist. I think there's real value in seeing the role from that person's perspective.

It's so important to find some mentors who can give you an honest opinion that is not in a supervisor-employee capacity. The great thing about nursing is that there are so many of us. Mentorship doesn’t have to be permanent; some relationships are short-term, while others last for years. Look for a mentor whose career path inspires you and who you connect with.

Rapid Fire Round

Q: What is one thing you would add to every nursing break room?

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A: A massage chair.

Q: What's your favorite medical TV show?

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A: House or ER.

Q: What is your favorite snack in the hospital or clinic?

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A: Unhealthy snack: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Healthy snack: fruit and nuts, like a trail mix.

Final Thoughts

With a focus on expanding NP opportunities and improving healthcare, Ferrara’s leadership is an example of drive for continued growth for NPs and their patients. Celebrate NP week this week by thanking a nurse practitioner, or asking one who inspires you to be your mentor.

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