West Virginia Online NP Programs
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“The greatest advice I can give an aspiring student is to go for it. Life is always going to be busy, so there is no time like now to pursue the degree. Nursing is an amazing profession, filled with so many opportunities that an advanced degree can help you obtain.”
Amy Coffman, DNP, Tenured Associate Professor, West Virginia Wesleyan College
West Virginia provides a distinctive professional environment for nurse practitioners (NPs), primarily due to its structured pathway toward full practice authority. In this state, newly licensed NPs must complete a three-year collaborative agreement with a physician before transitioning to independent practice, along with some restrictions on prescribing Schedule II medications. This gradual move toward autonomy is particularly significant in West Virginia, where rural health disparities and provider shortages increase the need for advanced practice nurses. Online NP programs in the state are designed to address this urgent demand, offering flexible and rigorous training opportunities for registered nurses seeking to expand their scope of practice and serve diverse communities.
The growth outlook for NPs in West Virginia underscores the profession’s increasing importance. According to CareerOneStop, approximately 1,700 nurse practitioners were employed in the state as of 2022. By 2032, that number is projected to rise to 2,590, representing an impressive 52 percent increase over 10 years. This anticipated expansion reflects both the evolving healthcare needs of the state’s population and the essential role that NPs play in addressing primary care gaps. Online education is poised to play a critical role in this workforce development, allowing future practitioners to access high-quality graduate programs without geographic barriers and deliver vital healthcare services across West Virginia’s urban and remote regions.
Meet the Experts: Amy Coffman, APRN-BC, FNP
Dr. Amy Coffman is a tenured associate professor of nursing and director of graduate programs at West Virginia Wesleyan College. She earned a bachelor of science in nursing from Marshall University, a master of science in nursing at West Virginia University, and a doctorate of nursing practice with nurse educator concentration from Samford University. Her DNP project, which focused on diabetes education, was presented at the Evidence-Based Approaches to Nursing Administration, Practice, and Education Issues conference at Samford University.
Dr. Coffman holds an active advanced practice nursing certification from the American Nurse Credentialing Center, a West Virginia advanced practice license, and she works as a family nurse practitioner in a rural health clinic, focusing on primary care for families. She is particularly interested in diabetes education, management, and pediatric primary care. Additionally, she has been a medical provider for the Upshur and Lewis County Child Advocacy Center and serves as a preceptor for Family Nurse Practitioner students.
At the college, Dr. Coffman has held various roles, including positions on the Admissions and Academic Standing Committee, the Student Conduct Board, the General Education Revision Committee, the Pre-Enrollment Modules Subcommittee, the Safe Campus Return Committee (Covid-19), and the Academic Budget Committee. She has also contributed to multiple faculty searches for the School of Nursing.
NPSchools.com: What do you wish the public understood about online nurse practitioner programs?
Dr. Coffman: The online nurse practitioner program at West Virginia Wesleyan College is actually a hybrid program. This means that students come to campus three to four times during the course of their program to [perform] skills and procedures that they can not do in an online setting. We also have lectures that are either live and offered in an online format, such as Zoom, or are pre-recorded for you to watch at a time convenient for the learner and multiple times if needed.
We understand that students are busy with their nursing careers and that school has to be flexible enough to work around that and home life. Our professors work hard to maintain communication that is available outside of the typical Monday through Friday, 8:00 to 4:00 schedules to meet the students’ needs. The goal of WVWC SON graduate programs is to provide a high-quality education in a flexible online work environment without losing the personal touch of the professors that Wesleyan is known for.
NPSchools.com: What advice would you give aspiring online nurse practitioner program students?
Dr. Coffman: The greatest advice I can give an aspiring student is to “go for it.” Life is always going to be busy, so there is no time like now to pursue the degree. Nursing is an amazing profession, filled with so many opportunities that an advanced degree can help you obtain. Obviously, it will be hard work, but you can achieve your goals if you are willing to work for them. WVWC would love to help you succeed!
Most Affordable Online NP Programs in West Virginia
| School | Degrees | Specializations | Programs & Tuition | Programs | Tuition (in-state) |
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| Wheeling University |
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| University of Charleston |
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NP Practice Authority in West Virginia
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Kimmy Gustafson
WriterAmong her many diverse writing endeavors, Kimmy Gustafson has also lent her expertise to NPSchools.com since 2020, providing insightful and engaging content about the significant role of education in shaping our future generations of nurse practitioners. Many of her pieces include interviewing experts on timely topics such as healthcare workplace violence and moral distress.
Kimmy has been a freelance writer for more than a decade, writing hundreds of articles on a wide variety of topics such as startups, nonprofits, healthcare, kiteboarding, the outdoors, and higher education. She is passionate about seeing the world and has traveled to over 27 countries. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oregon. When not working, she can be found outdoors, parenting, kiteboarding, or cooking.