Nurse Practitioner: Career, Training, & Certification

Nurse Practitioner

Providing a variety of general nursing duties, a nurse practitioner is a registered nurse who has also gone through specific nursing training that could include obtaining a higher master’s or doctoral degree. The duties that are included in a nurse practitioner’s job description can include but are not limited to physical therapy, performing blood or other types of tests, physical exams, diagnosing and treating illness, prescribing drugs, and other diagnostic studies. Many nurse practitioners work independently of a doctor, as they are able to perform routine tasks that many patients are seeking. They require a level head and good communication skills, to be able to interact with all types of patients that may come in to visit, ranging from routine checkups to more serious illnesses.
 
Salary Outlook
 
The salary will depend on the work location, as well as experience.
 
Average Annual Salary
$82,590
 
Salary Range
$75,838-$89,392
 
Work Environment
 
Because this is such a general field of nursing but involves a high level of skill, nurse practitioners are capable of working in almost all health care settings that one could think of. Many times they help run community clinics, health centers, or urgent care centers, working with members of the public who are needy. They are also found at health management organizations, hospitals, nursing homes, home health care agencies, schools, and private practices.
 
Requirements
 
The minimum requirements to begin the road towards becoming a qualified nurse practitioner include completing a nursing program at a fundamental level, to obtain licensing to become a registered nurse. After this, the requirements will vary from state to state. Most states and employers will require that nurse practitioners obtain a graduate level degree as well. All states additionally require that anyone interested in this position obtain national board certification, before they are able to practice. Both the American Nurses Credentialing Center and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners require that applicants hold a master’s degree, so this is becoming more and more the norm.
 
Career Outlook
 
As with all areas of the healthcare industry, the need for nurse practitioners is primed to skyrocket in the next few years. Especially because they tend to work in all fields of the healthcare industry, there will certainly be no shortage of job openings for qualified applicants. Those who work in community clinics may be especially in need, as the population grows older and many people don’t have health insurance. For those who rely on community health care, this is a vital community service that is performed by nurse practitioners.
 
Professional Organizations
 
American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
AANP National Administrative Office
PO Box 12846
Austin, TX 78711
Phone: (512) 442-4262
Fax: (512) 442-6469
www.aanp.org
 
American Nurses Foundation
8515 Georgia Ave. Suite 400
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Phone: (301) 628-5227
www.anfonline.org