Increased Opportunities For Nurse Practitioner Jobs
by Litton Resource Group
Those seeking nurse practitioner jobs should enjoy many
benefits in the coming years. Registered nurses will have an
abundance of exciting opportunities in this line of work.
Here is additional information about your career as a nurse
practitioner or NP.
In order to obtain an NP position you must have training
and experience in nursing. In fact this position is for
nurses that wish to advance their careers in health care.
Beginning students will need considerable training in the
nursing industry. Students may wish to begin with an
Associate’s Degree in nursing and then work toward their
BSN, which is a Bachelor Degree in Nursing. There also are
special RN programs to consider, as an RN qualification and
a Master’s Degree are essential.
If you are a certified RN, your path to becoming an NP will
not be too difficult. It may take as long as two years of
study and work, and you may need to work in a clinical
environment. Once you become a certified NP the
certification is good for 5 years. However, if do not have
RN certification, you will have to obtain it before taking
an NP program, unless you enter a special program.
An NP is sometimes referred to as an advance practice
registered nurse or APRN. The NP treats patients for a
variety of disorders and can give physical examinations. An
NP can order and interpret diagnostics and can prescribe
treatment and medications. They perform duties that are
similar to physicians.
If you become an APRN you may wish to be a primary care
provider or you can become a specialist. Perhaps you enjoy
working with children or maybe you would like to work with
cancer patients. Nurse practitioner jobs deal with disease
prevention and the health of patients, and educating them on
the many aspects of better health. You also can become a
midwife or a certified anesthetist that performs
anesthesiology duties.
Working conditions for the APRN are determined by the
specialty that one plans to enter. For instance, if one is
working as a neonatal or acute care NP, it will be in a
hospital environment. This may include working long hours or
rotating shift duty. One also may need to be on call in case
of emergency situations. Many NP positions are in
comfortable indoor environments. Work is similar to a doctor
that sees patients in an office type practice. This job
usually is during normal business hours except for
emergencies.
Pay is very good for nurse practitioner jobs. Your income
will depend on the location and specialty that you choose to
work. For instance, pay rates may be higher in one part of
the country. Online sources for median NP income range from
$91,000 to $96,000 annually. However it is not uncommon for
an experienced NP to make an yearly income of six figures.
If you plan to become an APRN you will have many employment
advantages. There are so many positions available that you
can live in any major city and still find employment. Growth
for nurse practitioner jobs is expected to be strong for
many years, and employers will offer excellent benefits to
attract medical professionals.
See the Top 5% of Jobs
For Nurse Practitioners