Nurse practitioners form a bridge between doctors and nurses and enjoy a lucrative and fulfilling career. Family nurse practitioners specialize in caring for families. Family nurse practitioners are registered nurses who have undertaken further training which enables them to take on many duties previously ascribed to physicians such as diagnosis, treatment and prescribing. They can also specialize in a certain field. Family nurse practitioners work in healthcare facilities caring for, counseling and instructing families and individuals in many areas of health. As well as diagnosing and treating illness, they are actively involved in health promotion and instruction for families. This role requires a high level of education, but also the caring nature typical of those in the nursing profession. To become a family nurse practitioner you must be a registered nurse with a bachelors or master's degree. You can then undertake post-graduate study to become a nurse practitioner. You can choose to undertake training while you nurse. You will cover many areas of medicine and pharmacology, and can choose to specialize in areas such as families, women's treatments and neo-natal care. This is a very well-paid position as befits its high level of training and responsibility. However communication and compassion are also vital ingredients for the successful family nurse practitioner.