Nurse Practitioner Careers – Careers for Nurse Practitioner Graduates
When you become a nurse practitioner (NP), you’ll be joining the ranks of registered nurses (RNs) with a masters degree in nursing education and clinical training that focuses on a specialized like pediatrics, psychiatric health, or community health. What’s unique about Nurse practitioner programs and NPs is their integrative approach advanced practice nursing. NPs focus on providing holistic, preventative measures that are customized to best fit the needs of each individual patient.
Nurse Practitioner Career Overview
So what will your responsibilities entail when you become a nurse practitioner? As NPs diversify their skill set and take on more tasks that benefit from their unique approach to nursing, the answer to that question becomes more and more all encompassing. NPs fulfill a variety of patient needs, from diagnosing and treating conditions to writing prescriptions to counseling patients. As you might imagine, such a wide range of abilities and responsibilities means that nurse practitioners can be found practically anywhere that health care is needed, including clinics, schools, hospitals, emergency rooms, private practices, and public health departments.
Career Trends for Nurse Practitioners
Of course, it’s important to consider things such as longevity and room for growth before embarking on any career path. So what is the current climate like for working nurse practitioners, and what does the future look like? According to a 2009 AANP report, 125,000 NPs practice in the U.S., with nearly half of those nurses specializing in family practice. Adult care, pediatrics, and women’s health are also all popular specialties for NPs. The solid reputation that NPs have built for themselves with their high quality, personalized care means that job opportunities are looking good if you’re seeking to get into this health care profession. But it’s also worth noting that advancing your education through a Masters in Nursing via a Nurse Practitioner Program will play an important factor for incoming NPs; 88 percent of NPs hold advanced degrees and 92 percent are nationally certified. The bottom line? Top-notch educational and professional credentials are essential things for you to have in order to stay competitive in this career field.
Nurse Practitioner Salary
Across all specialties the average base salary for a nurse practitioner of $84,250, according to 2008 data from the AANP. Total average income for full-time NPs is $92,100. PayScale.com also indicates that many of the NP specialties and sub-specialties that pay the highest can be found in ER, surgery, geriatrics, intensive care, case management, and acute care.
Find the Right Nurse Practitioner Program
Now truly is the best time to get on the path to becoming a nurse practitioner – if this career seems like the right one for you, you should learn more about your advanced nursing education options, and then find the nurse practitioner school that offers the program that works best for you.
Adult Nursing Program
Launch your career in adult primary care as you gain extensive clinical practice in school.
Family Nurse Practitioner Program
Start your career in working with children and adult practice as you study how illnesses affect the family.
Clinical Nurse Specialist Program
Choose your career path by focusing on a specialization such as research, clinical practice, management, teaching, and more.
Nurse Educator Program
Begin a career in teaching the future generation of nurses with an online nurse educator degree.
Midwifery Program
Provide medical care to women and help guide them through their pregnancies with a career as a nurse midwife.
Nursing Administration Degree
Enjoy a career in coordinating and managing a team of nurses as a nursing administration professional.
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Program
Make your career in caring for and treating patients suffering from various forms of mental illness.
Womens Health Program
Build a career in diagnosing and managing medical conditions for female patients with a women’s health nursing degree.
Looking for More Information about Careers for Nurse Practitioners?
There are a lot of things to consider as you move forward with your education and begin plotting the course of your career, but you don’t have to do it alone. Get the information you need by exploring our Career Resources below.
Nurse Practitioner Schools
Find the nurse practitioner school that’s best suited to match your professional career goals.
Nurse Practitioner Programs
Learn how different nurse practitioner programs can help you move towards your dream nurse practitioner career.
The Demand for Nurse Practitioners
See why the demand for nurse practitioners has made now a great time to start a career in this branch of the health care industry.
Nurse Practitioner Salaries
Find out how a career as a nurse practitioner can help you to increase your earnings and move forward on your professional path.