Nurse Practitioners are now more educated and perform more procedures than any time in the profession's forty-year history. Today's medical practices are changing their focus to promote health and wellness—which is where nurse practitioners can make a real difference as a provider. Nurse practitioners (NP) are registered nurses (RN) who have a master's degree (at least) and are trained to diagnose and manage common medical conditions. As a nurse practitioner, your core philosophy supports individualized care, so you can take pride in making prevention, wellness and patient education your top priority.
Have the Freedom to Choose Your Setting
Because of the versatility of the profession, Nurse Practitioners can work in a wide variety of settings, including the following:
Community clinics and health centers
Health departments
Health maintenance organizations (HMOs)
Home health care agencies
Hospitals and hospital clinics
Hospice centers
Nurse practitioner offices
Nursing homes
Nursing schools
Physician offices
Private offices
Public health departments
School/college clinics
Veterans Administration facilities
Walk-in clinics
Nurse Practitioners: What Do They Do?
Nurse practitioners are qualified to handle a vast array of health-related issues, including the diagnosis and treatment of common minor illnesses and injuries. Besides providing a lower-cost alternative to seeing a doctor, they offer patients a number of benefits in the work they do:
Taking the patient's history, performing physical exams and ordering appropriate laboratory tests and procedures
Diagnosing, treating and managing acute and chronic diseases
Providing prescriptions and coordinating referrals
Executing certain procedures, such as a bone marrow biopsy or lumbar puncture
Teaming with physicians and other health professionals as needed
Counseling and educating patients on self-care skills and treatment options
Ordering, performing and interpreting diagnostic studies such as lab tests, x-rays and EKGs
Prescribing physical therapy and other rehabilitation treatments
Providing prenatal care and family planning services
Providing well-child care, including screening and immunizations
Providing health maintenance care for adults, including annual physicals
Salary
NPs are earning more than ever, and their salaries compare favorably with other professionals who have earned their master's degree. According to ADVANCE for Nurse Practitioners, the 2005 National Salary Survey of Nurse Practitioners shows an average annual full-time salary for a nurse practitioner of $74,812. However, NPs with independent practices can make in excess of $90,500 annually. Other areas at the top of the salary chart are in the acute care realm: emergency department ($84,835), surgery ($84,084), neonatal unit ($81,511) and hospital ($79,393). Gerontology and specialty settings were also on the high end of the spectrum, providing annual averages of $77,020 and $76,006, respectively.
As with most other professions, more education correlates with higher salaries; a doctoral degree could add more than $65,000 annually to the salary of a master's-prepared NP. Of course, geography and experience also factor into a NPs salary opportunities.
Have the Freedom to Specialize
Nurse Practitioners have flexibility in choosing the type of work they do and when they do it. They can practice in a wide range of specialty areas, including the following:
Acute Care
Adult Health
College Health
Community Health
Dermatology
Family Health
Gerontology
Holistic Nursing
Neonatology
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Oncology
Palliative Care
Pediatrics
Perinatology
Psychiatry
Rheumatology
School Health
Women's Health
Education, Licensure and Certification
Nurse practitioners are required to be registered nurses, must graduate from an approved nurse practitioner program, and must have a master's degree before sitting for the national certification exam. They are also required to be recertified every five years through ongoing education and training programs.
To be licensed as a nurse practitioner, you must first complete the education and training necessary to be a registered nurse. This education includes the following:
An Associate Degree in Nursing. These programs are offered by community and junior colleges and usually take two to three years.
A Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing or completion of a diploma program. BSN programs are offered by colleges and universities and usually take four to five years; diploma programs are administered in hospitals and usually take two to three years.
Direct patient care for acutely or chronically ill patients.
NPs must have advanced education and clinical training to practice, and must maintain their certification on an on-going basis. In some states, professionals and employers in the field strongly recommend a master's degree as a minimal requirement for NPs, however, in most states it is a requirement. Laws specific to NP licensure vary greatly from state to state, but the current trend is for states to require master's degree educational preparation and national certification.
National certification is offered through various nursing organizations, including the American Nurses' Association and the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board. Most of these organizations require completion of an approved master's-level NP program prior to taking the certification exam. Re-certification involves proof of continuing education.
An Outstanding Opportunity
If you're like countless others, you may want a career that allows you to help people while earning a comfortable wage in a field that is well respected. Becoming a nurse practitioner can fulfill those goals. And with mounting job opportunities, you have an excellent chance at having a rewarding, profitable vocation when you complete your studies. The timing is right—find the nurse practitioner school that's right for you.
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