Nurse Practitioner Job Description: Salary, Duties, & More
Nurse practitioners (NPs) are registered nurses who have advanced education and training. They work with patients to diagnose and treat illnesses and provide health care services.
Nurse practitioners (NPs) are registered nurses who have advanced education and training. They work with patients to diagnose and treat illnesses and provide health care services.
Nurse practitioners can be found in hospitals, clinics, private practices, schools, nursing homes, and other healthcare facilities. Some work as consultants for large organizations, like insurance companies or the government.
Most NPs specialize in a specific area of practice, such as pediatrics, family medicine, or women’s health. Some may work in emergency rooms or perform surgery.
Nurse practitioners must complete graduate-level education and pass a certification exam. Nurse practitioners must also maintain their licensure by continuing their education through continuing education courses and seminars.
Nurse Practitioner Job Duties
Typical job duties for nurse practitioners include the following:
- Performing physical exams and minor medical procedures, such as administering vaccines
- Diagnosing health problems and providing treatment plans with instructions to patients on how to manage illnesses and disorders independently
- Coordinating a patient’s care with other physicians and specialists involved in his or her treatment plan
- Evaluating patients’ medical histories and current health issues, including physical examinations, diagnostic tests, and labs
- Diagnosing patients’ ailments and diseases, making recommendations for treatments, and writing prescriptions for medications
- Performing surgeries or other procedures in collaboration with an anesthesia team, often under the direction of a physician
- Prescribing medications and treatment plans to treat patients’ conditions
- Educating patients about their condition, treatment, and follow up care instructions as needed
Nurse Practitioner Salary & Outlook
The median annual wage for nurse practitioners is $121,049. The top earners of the profession are making over $185,000 per year.
Demand for nurse practitioners is expected to grow much faster than average over the next decade. This is due to the growing number of patients with chronic diseases and a shortage of primary care physicians. Nurse practitioners will be needed to provide primary care for these patients.
Nurse Practitioner Job Requirements
The requirements for nurse practitioners are as follows:
Education: After obtaining an RN license, students can qualify for a position as a nurse practitioner by earning a master’s or doctoral degree in nursing. Nurse practitioners generally choose a specific area of medicine in which to specialize, such as family medicine, emergency care or acute care. Courses students take may include healthcare management, advanced pharmacology and pathophysiology.
Certification: Some states require certification by the National Certification Corporation (NCC) or the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). Each state also has its own requirements for certification, which may include continuing education, registration, fees, and examination.
Experience: Most employers prefer that their nurse practitioners have worked in the medical field for several years before applying for this position. Some employers also may look for prior experience working with patients who have similar conditions to those whom they will treat as a nurse practitioner.
Nurse Practitioner Skills
Nurse practitioners need the following skills:
Patience: Nurse practitioners must be able to work with people who are in pain, suffering from mental illness, or dealing with other health issues. They must also be able to deal with children and parents who may not always follow their advice.
Communication skills: Nurse practitioners must be able to communicate effectively with patients, doctors, and staff members.
Time management skills: Nurse practitioners must manage their time well in order to meet deadlines and make appointments on time.
Critical thinking skills: In addition to working with many different types of patients, nurse practitioners must often think critically about the care they provide.
Knowledge of medicine: This position requires a strong knowledge of medical science and procedures.
Detail-oriented: You must be able to pay close attention to detail in order to keep accurate records and avoid errors.
Nurse Practitioner Work Environment
A nurse practitioner’s job can be both challenging and rewarding. It requires a lot of physical work, which could include standing for much of the day, lifting heavy patients when needed, and performing routine lab tests.
A nurse practitioner can work anywhere, from a hospital to an office with other doctors and/or nurses. They may also have the opportunity to travel for work or be required to do so as they may need to meet patients in their homes or rural areas. They may need to go on call during certain hours.
Nurse practitioners sometimes have frequent changes in shift times, which means that they must alter their daily routine accordingly. However, most enjoy this flexibility.
Nurse Practitioner Career Advancement
As a nurse practitioner, you can specialize in a number of areas, such as oncology, family practice, and pediatrics. If you’d like to work in a particular area, you can pursue certification or a degree in that discipline.
You’ll find that most nurse practitioners advance to supervisory positions. One of these positions is a Director of Nursing. A Nurse Director works with a team of Nurse Managers and is responsible for the overall performance of the department and of the nurses under their supervision.
Nurse Practitioner Trends
Here are three trends influencing how Nurse Practitioners work. Nurse Practitioners will need to stay up-to-date on these developments to keep their skills relevant and maintain a competitive advantage in the workplace.
Increase in Long-Term Care and Mental Health Care
As baby boomers reach retirement age, they are increasingly turning to long-term care facilities to take care of their aging parents.
Additionally, due to longer life expectancies, more elderly individuals are dealing with chronic conditions like depression and dementia. As a result, nurses will be responsible for providing mental health care to this population, including administering medications and referring patients to mental health specialists as needed.
Rise of the Nurse Entrepreneur
As nurses and doctors become more frustrated with the cost of healthcare, more and more nurses are choosing to strike out on their own and create their own business model for healthcare delivery.
This entrepreneurial trend has grown alongside other changes in the field, such as the growth of telemedicine services, which allow patients to consult with a doctor remotely through a phone or video chat, increasing access to care for those who may not be able to afford it otherwise.
Increased Demand for Clinical Expertise
The United States healthcare system is currently undergoing a shift towards more holistic and patient-centered care. As a result, the role of nurse practitioners has become increasingly important as they can fill roles such as routine checkups and administering vaccines.
Clinical nurse specialists are in high demand today, with job growth projected to increase by more than 20% over the next decade. As the need for specialized healthcare increases, so too will the demand for qualified nurses with clinical expertise.
How to Become a Nurse Practitioner
1. Planning Your Career Path
To become a nurse practitioner, you must have a background in nursing and complete an advanced degree. Once you have your license, you can decide whether to pursue a career in a hospital or a private practice.
In addition to clinical training, those who want to work as a nurse practitioner should be prepared to spend some time as an intern; this provides them with invaluable experience and helps build their resume. It also allows them to network with potential employers and build relationships with nurses and other medical professionals who can offer advice and guidance during their career transition.
Nurse practitioners may specialize in a specific area of medicine, such as pediatrics or psychiatry. You should think about the type of work environment that will be most conducive to your professional growth. Consider how long you want to work with patients before making this decision; for example, many nurses who go into private practice enjoy spending more time with each patient but do not see the same volume of patients that they would if they worked in a hospital setting.
2. Writing a Resume
The best resumes for nurse practitioners highlight their ability to work with patients, knowledge of treatment and diagnosis, and communication skills. You should also emphasize your ability to make decisions and provide care in emergency situations.
Be sure to describe your past jobs in detail while including relevant information such as the roles you took on, the number of patients you saw daily, and any other responsibilities you may have had such as scheduling or writing reports. To ensure that your resume highlights your decision making abilities, be sure to include examples of situations where you were able to make independent decisions as a nurse.
3. Applying for Jobs
As a Nurse Practitioner, you can start your job search by creating a portfolio. Use it to showcase any previous work experience that demonstrates your ability to succeed in the job. Build a strong LinkedIn profile with information on your education, skills, and previous jobs. Mention what you hope to achieve in the future. You should also try to make connections with people who work at hospitals or other healthcare organizations and attend events related to health care.
When it comes time to apply for a job, make sure to do your research on the company first. Check out Glassdoor reviews and see if there are any forums dedicated to discussing the organization’s culture. If you can, try contacting some of the company’s employees directly to get a better idea of what it’s like to work there.
4. Ace the Interview
If you’re interviewing for a nurse practitioner position, you’ll want to show your interviewer that you not only possess the medical expertise, but also the soft skills needed to be successful in the role. To prepare for this kind of interview, review examples of your past work experience and medical knowledge. Include some specific examples of your leadership abilities, clinical judgment, patient care abilities, and interpersonal skills.
When it comes to demonstrating these skills on the job, think about areas where you have really stood out. It could be working with difficult patients or managing stressful situations (or even how you handle medical emergencies).
You’ll also want to be prepared to discuss your philosophy of medicine and how you approach treatment. For example, if you are interviewing for a job in family medicine, it is important to be able to discuss your experience treating children. If internal medicine is more relevant to the position than cardiology or pediatrics, focus more of your discussion on that topic.
