As advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), nurse practitioners (NPs) can provide their patients with a broad range of healthcare services. The ability to take on advanced clinical roles and serve specific patient populations makes this nursing role particularly appealing to nurses who want to spend their careers in clinical settings.
If you are interested in the nurse practitioner career path, discover how to go from working as a registered nurse (RN) to taking on this advanced, specialized nursing position.
The Role of a Nurse Practitioner in Modern Healthcare
Nurse practitioners are playing an increasingly pivotal part in the modern healthcare system, and according to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), American patients schedule more than 1 billion visits each year with nurse practitioners.
As healthcare providers across all specialty areas continue to emphasize the importance of preventative care, there has been an increased need for nurse practitioners. These advanced practitioners are able to bridge the gap between registered nurses and physicians, often having the opportunity to provide patients with more personalized care. Nurse practitioners often prioritize direct patient care, dedicating more time to individual interactions. This focus on continuous care enables them to build enduring, personalized relationships with patients, fostering a supportive and responsive healthcare environment.
Core Responsibilities and Daily Tasks of a Nurse Practitioner
Due to their advanced training and education, nurse practitioners are able to provide a wide range of healthcare services for their patients. According to the AANP, the primary responsibilities of nurse practitioners include:
- Evaluating patients and assessing their symptoms as well as their current physical health.
- Ordering diagnostics tests to confirm a diagnosis.
- Diagnosing patients and creating an effective care plan that is personalized to meet their needs.
- Prescribing medication when needed.
- Providing patients with accurate information and valuable resources to educate them.
- Counseling patients and emphasizing the importance of preventative healthcare.
Vital Skills for Nurse Practitioner Success
To be successful in your nurse practitioner career, you should focus on developing clinical, technical, and soft skills.
The clinical skills required for nurse practitioner success include:
- Completing comprehensive physical exams
- Performing a variety of procedures
- Giving injections
- Providing patients with medication
Technical skills required for nurse practitioner success include:
- Working with electronic health records
- Understanding how to work with remote monitoring devices
- Becoming familiar with the leading mobile healthcare apps
The soft skills required for nurse practitioner success include:
- Empathy
- Effective communication, particularly when educating patients about their treatment plans and preventative healthcare
- Cultural awareness and respect
- Critical thinking and creativity
Mapping the Educational Pathways to Become a Nurse Practitioner
Nurse practitioners are advanced practice registered nurses, meaning they must have a graduate degree in order to practice. Understanding the educational pathways to becoming a nurse practitioner may help you decide on which degree program is best for you.
Starting With Undergraduate Nursing Education
Before you begin practicing as a nurse practitioner, you first need to work as a registered nurse. An undergraduate degree in nursing could provide you with the foundation you need to develop the skills to work as a registered nurse. Whether you choose an associate degree in nursing or a bachelor’s degree in nursing, you have the opportunity to develop an advanced understanding of the current healthcare landscape as well as become proficient in the clinical skills required to work directly with patients.
Advancing Through Graduate Programs and Specializations
Once you have earned your undergraduate degree and obtained licensure as a registered nurse, the next step is to pursue a nurse practitioner program tailored to advanced clinical practice. Depending on your background and career goals, you can choose from a master’s degree, a graduate certificate, or a doctoral program designed specifically for nurse practitioner preparation. Selecting the program that best aligns with your desired specialization will help ensure that your education supports your long-term career objectives.
Achieving Certification and Licensure as an NP
After completing your specialized nurse practitioner program, you must obtain national certification and state licensure to practice. According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), nurse practitioners are required to earn certification in their chosen specialty through an accredited body. This certification verifies that you meet the necessary standards for advanced clinical practice and patient care.
Preparing for National Certification Examinations for Your NP Specialty
The final step in becoming a nurse practitioner is passing your national certification exam. Nurse practitioners typically take the certification exam offered by either the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) to become certified in their specialty area. Because the specific exam you take depends on your NP specialty, it is essential to understand the requirements and content of your chosen exam. These rigorous exams serve as the final step in the certification process for nurse practitioners. You can best prepare by:
- Choosing a certification exam that is best for your nurse practitioner career path.
- Using the study materials that are provided by that certifying body.
- Creating a study plan in advance that allows you to study regularly in the weeks leading up to your exam. Avoid cramming for this comprehensive exam.
- Work with your classmates to study together. Study groups allow you to collaborate and develop a better understanding of the exam materials.
- Use practice tests to become more comfortable and familiar with the exam format.
Understanding State-Specific Licensure Requirements
The licensure requirements to practice as a nurse practitioner may vary from state to state, so it is essential to review the requirements in the state in which you intend to practice.
Exploring Career Paths and Specializations for Nurse Practitioners
While all nurse practitioners can provide comprehensive healthcare services for patients, most choose to specialize in areas that allow them to work with specific patient populations. Knowing the specialty areas that are available to you may help you select a graduate degree program that best aligns with your personal and professional goals.
Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Career Path
A family nurse practitioner, or FNP, is a nurse practitioner who works with patients throughout their entire lives. According to Johnson & Johnson Nursing, family nurse practitioners are able to work with patients across a wide variety of ages, giving them the ability to provide their patients with personalized and effective care. Family nurse practitioners often emphasize the importance of preventative healthcare and work to provide their patients with attentive and intuitive care. To become a family nurse practitioner, choose a graduate degree program that offers this specialization and pursue certification as a family nurse practitioner.
Opportunities in Psychiatric Mental Health as a PMHNP
According to the Cleveland Clinic, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners work directly with patients who have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder, are experiencing a mental health crisis, or are struggling with a substance abuse disorder. In addition to diagnosing and treating mental health conditions, PMHNPs also provide their patients with counseling and therapy services. To pursue this nurse practitioner career, opt for a graduate degree program that offers a specialization in this area as well as pursue certification as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner.
Varied Work Environments and Job Settings for Nurse Practitioners
According to the AANP, nurse practitioners have the opportunity to work in a variety of healthcare settings, including hospitals, emergency rooms, physicians’ offices, long-term care facilities, educational facilities, and public health organizations. This flexibility is one of the reasons why many registered nurses find the opportunity to work as a nurse practitioner so appealing.
Comparing Hospitals and Private Practice Work Settings
There are distinct differences between working in hospitals and working in private practice as a nurse practitioner. In the hospital setting, you often work with different patients on a daily basis and may be needed to provide more emergency or life-saving care. In private practice, you have a greater ability to develop long-lasting relationships with your patients, allowing you to focus more on preventative healthcare and personalized treatment services.
Emerging Opportunities in Telehealth and Remote Practice
As healthcare technology continues to advance and patients become more comfortable with telehealth services, there are more opportunities for nurse practitioners to work remotely. Nurse practitioners who work remotely may be able to schedule video conference visits with their patients, consult with them over the phone, or use remote monitoring devices to collect data and evaluate their patients’ progress.
The Expanding Impact of Nurse Practitioners on Patient Care
Nurse practitioners are bridging a critical gap in the healthcare system, filling the void that exists between registered nurses providing bedside care and physicians creating treatment plans. According to an article published by CBS News, nurse practitioners have played a vital role in reducing the healthcare shortage in primary care. However, many nurse practitioners are increasingly looking into specialty areas for their careers.
Enhancing Patient Accessibility and Quality of Care
Physicians often manage a variety of responsibilities within a healthcare facility, including clinical care, administrative tasks, and research. In contrast, nurse practitioners focus primarily on patient care, which enables them to see more patients and spend more time with those who they are working with. This helps improve accessibility to healthcare and allows patients to receive more attentive, personalized care than they would otherwise. An increasing number of patients are finding that they actually prefer to work with nurse practitioners because of the quality of care they are able to provide.
Projected Future Trends in Nurse Practitioner Roles
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides detailed information on the career outlook for nurse practitioners.
Learn More About the Nurse Practitioner Career Path at Post University
Nurse practitioners have the opportunity to provide their patients with advanced care and often develop lasting, rewarding relationships with their patients. At Post University, we are proud to offer an online Master of Science (MSN) in Nursing degree program with eight specializations — including Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and more. Students who enroll in this program are able to explore specialty areas in nursing that appeal to their interests and align with their career goals.
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