Nurse Practitioner

Nurse practitioners are registered nurses who are licensed to act as physicians, as they are trained to diagnose and manage common illnesses, as well as a few more complex ones. They diagnose conditions much as a doctor would, using the patient’s previous history of illnesses, physical exams, and therapy, and treating these conditions in the same way as doctors as well. Nurse practitioners are trained in specific fields within the healthcare industry, including pediatrics, women’s health, and emergency medicine. Some even set up their own independent clinics and practices. However, in some states, nurse practitioners must work in conjunction with a physician, while in other states, the practitioners are completely independent. Nurse practitioners can work in hospitals, nursing homes, and many other locations, acting as a regular healthcare provider for many patients. The occupation focuses on individualized care, and it can be easier for patients to make an appointment to see a nurse practitioner for essentially the same care than to attempt to work with a busy doctor’s schedule. In addition, most insurance plans cover nurse practitioner services.

The nurse practitioner employment position is a lucrative one as well. The average annual salary for all specialties of full-time nurse practitioners was $86,486, according to the Mayo Clinic. Employment positions for registered nurses, including nurse practitioners, are expected to see a 23 percent growth in opportunities by 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. As the health care sector grows to accommodate the increasing world population, nursing positions will grow as well. Registered nurses are the largest health care occupation, and will likely stay in that top position. Overall, the job prospects are positive for new nurse practitioners looking to break into the field.

Prospective nurse practitioners must earn a minimum of a Master’s education in healthcare to become officially certified. Registered nurses looking to advance their careers should consider enrolling in a MHA program, which will open up more opportunities in highly rewarding and specialized nursing fields. After earning a Master’s degree in health care, prospective nurse practitioners must also become certified by the state in which he or she wishes to practice. The criteria for certification vary between states, though most will require that nurse practitioners seek relicensing within a certain time frame. This relicensing ensures that nurse practitioners remain up-to-date and aware of the trends in modern medicine and nursing.