What Is A Nurse Practitioner?

Advanced Practice Nursing

A nurse practitioner is, in essence, an advanced registered nurse. An NP has completed all of the necessary education and training to become a registered nurse, but has gone on to achieve an advanced degree and completed a residency, much like a physician does, in the field of his or her choice. While the education process is more involved and requires a greater time commitment, choosing this path has a variety of advantages to you as the medical professional and to your prospective patients.

Greater Job Opportunities

The job outlook for advanced practice nurses is very bright. There is a continuing demand for nurses, and as this is not likely to change in the foreseeable future. As the medical field continues to change and grow, the role of nurse practitioners has become a very important one. Because of their advanced education, nurse practitioners can take on many of the duties and responsibilities which were once limited only to physicians. This means that as an NP, you can enjoy a fulfilling career in a hospital or doctor’s office with more responsibilities and a greater degree of autonomy than you will have experienced as an RN. Most hospitals and clinics, as well as many ambulatory units and physician’s offices are adding nurse practitioners to their staffs and relying more and more heavily on them, creating even more job security in the field.

Choose Your Specialty

As a licensed nurse practitioner in the field of your choice, you can drive your career in the direction that best suits you. Neonatal nurse practitioners specialize in the care and treatment of newborns, while family nurse practitioners focus on diagnosis, wellness, and disease prevention from the arena of family practice. Other Nurse Practitioner specialties range from child and adult acute care to oncology and anesthesiology, and everything in between. When you choose your nursing program, whether you are starting from the beginning or returning to school as a registered nurse, you will have the opportunity to make decisions about the focus of your training.

Boost Your Income

The average salary for an experienced registered nurse is around $68,000 per year, nationally. Nurse practitioners, depending on specialty average $89,000, up to $100,000 per year or more. Your long term employment will more than pay for the schooling required to make the jump from one to the other. Why the disparity between salaries? The higher level of education achieved by the nurse practitioner allows him or her to treat patients independently in many cases. This means that he or she has the ability to see patients, make diagnoses, and provide treatment without the direct oversight of the physician. This ability to see and care for patients in the place of a physician at certain times greatly amplifies the value in the work place.

Choose Your Venue

The use of nurse practitioners has become commonplace in a variety of different environments, so you can choose the career that you find most rewarding. You will find nurse practitioners in almost every department of most large and small hospitals. Public health clinics make use of nurse practitioners as a money saving alternative to bringing on more doctors. Physician’s offices hire nurse practitioners to handle the overflow of patients that often prevent physicians from keeping track of their appointments in a timely manner. For example, an emergency appointment in a pediatrician office for an ear infection or a fever can be handled by the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, rather than a Pediatrician.

The Advantages To The Facility

It is an advantageous move for a hospital or clinic to offer employment to nurse practitioners to supplement their staff of physicians. Much of the care provided by a nurse practitioner can be done at a lower cost because the hourly cost of physicians is far higher than that of a nurse practitioner. A strategic mix of physicians and NP’s adds up to a wise and frugal way to offer excellent care to the patients of the facility.

Additionally, public health clinics, which often see more cases of influenza, strep throat, and the like than anything else can function far more economically without sacrificing a high level of care to their patients by employing nurse practitioners. A family nurse practitioner can provide much of the necessary diagnosis and treatment care that a physician can, at a lower cost.

The Advantages To The Patient

If they are not properly educated, patients may feel unsure about their feelings toward nurse practitioners, simply because they are not doctors. However, a nurse practitioner is well trained and is able to administer excellent care, and when a doctor’s office or hospital floor is staffed with an NP or two, the patient can count on prompt, timely care because they do not have to wait for a physician to become available. The practice of using nurse practitioners can also bring down the total cost of a hospital stay or procedure.