How do you become a nurse practitioner?

I am changing majors from education to nursing. I still have to finish a lot of prerequisites to go into nursing. What do I have to do to eventually become a nurse practitioner? Are there only certain schools that have a NP program? How long is the process usually to get a Nursing degree first and then a NP degree? Also, how hard are nursing and NP programs to get into ? What are the average requirements (gpa, etc).

Do you need a bachelors in nursing before pursuing the practitioner's program? or can you simply get an associate's degree or certificate.

To work as a nurse practitioner, you must:

complete a bachelor's of nursing (or related) degree; complete a master's degree from a nurse practitioner program; be licensed as a nurse; and have strong interpersonal skills.

Formal Education Graduate programs for nurse practitioners usually take one to two years to complete. You learn diagnostic and general health assessment skills. You can also focus in a particular area.

Work Experience

Working as a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse provides good experience for this occupation.Volunteering at a clinic or hospital is also helpful.

to add to J.P. you need to spealize in say a FNP or a PNP (family nurse practitioner or pediatric ) , also a physician assistant is another choice take 24-36 month to complete the master in "physician assistant studies" , is another way to get a better job

edit: you need a bachelors in nursing (B.S.N) to get a masters in nursing to become a practitioner

EDIT: the requirements are same as any other bachelor's at my university