Florida’s healthcare landscape is undergoing rapid transformation and Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs) are at the heart of this change. With an aging population and an increased need to make care more accessible and widely available, the FNP’s role has expanded beyond traditional primary care.
From telehealth to concierge medicine, Florida provides attractive new avenues of professional growth for advanced practice nurses. Through the St. Thomas University MSN Family Nurse Practitioner online program, nurses gain the specialized training and leadership skills necessary to thrive in these emerging roles.
What Is a Family Nurse Practitioner?
Nurse practitioners (NPs) are advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) who diagnose, treat and manage patients of all ages. They offer most of the same services as doctors, including conducting physical exams and prescribing medicines, while providing holistic, patient-centered care.
In Florida, FNPs are limited to a restricted practice model, which requires a collaborative agreement with a supervising physician for some services, as specified in Florida statute §464.0123. Even with this limitation, Florida’s rapidly evolving healthcare system is creating unprecedented opportunities for nurse practitioners to expand their impact.
Emerging FNP Jobs in Florida
Today, FNPs in Florida are moving far beyond traditional clinic and hospital roles. These roles highlight how FNPs are leveraging both their clinical expertise and entrepreneurial spirit to reimagine patient care delivery. Some of the fastest-growing FNP jobs in Florida are:
- Telehealth platforms: With the surge in digital care, FNPs are providing chronic disease management and urgent care consultations through mobile apps and video visits, particularly to rural and underserved populations.
- Urgent care and retail clinics: Pharmacies and grocery chains such as Walgreens, CVS and Walmart are actively recruiting FNPs for walk-in clinics.
- Corporate wellness programs: Many Florida companies are investing in workplace health initiatives, employing FNPs to design and implement preventive care programs.
- Specialized clinics: Weight management, hormone therapy and aesthetic nurse practitioner careers in Florida are becoming lucrative specialties.
- Concierge medicine and boutique healthcare: Florida’s thriving medical tourism industry supports unique FNP roles in personalized and luxury healthcare.
- Mobile health units and home health services: Based on Florida’s large senior population, FNPs may choose to specialize in geriatric and home-based care.
How Much Do FNPs Make in Florida?
Compensation is another factor fueling interest in this career path. Current data indicates the average annual pay for a family nurse practitioner in Florida is between $105,000 and $120,000, depending on the specialty and years of experience. Doctors practicing in niche specialties, such as concierge medicine, aesthetics or telehealth entrepreneurship, generally make considerably more than their peers statewide.
Since there is no state income tax, Florida FNPs earn more take-home pay than FNPs in many other states. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for nurse practitioners is projected to grow by an astonishing 46% between 2021 and 2031, making it one of the fastest-growing healthcare careers in the nation.
Nurse Practitioner Scope of Practice in Florida
While the nurse practitioner’s scope of practice in Florida is more restricted than in full-practice states, the landscape is shifting. Florida now offers an autonomous APRN designation, allowing qualifying nurse practitioners to practice more independently. Under existing limitations, FNPs in Florida are performing exceptionally well in novel care delivery models such as mobile units, telemedicine platforms and concierge clinics. Aided by flexibility and increased demand, FNPs are becoming an invaluable asset in the evolving Florida healthcare market.
Florida is at the forefront of opening new doors to FNP careers in telehealth, urgent care, medical tourism, aesthetics and other promising specialty options. These opportunities enable Family Nurse Practitioners to expand their scope of care and help shape the future of healthcare delivery in the region, which is continually growing. The online FNP program from St. Thomas University equips graduates with the advanced skills, clinical training and entrepreneurial insight needed to step confidently into Florida’s most in-demand healthcare roles.
Learn more about St. Thomas University’s online Family Nurse Practitioner program.