Amid the nursing shortage crisis, many leaders in the healthcare profession are encouraging nurses to continue their education and develop the advanced practice skills needed to specialize in the nursing profession. One in-demand advanced practice nursing roles is the nurse practitioner (NP).
Nurse practitioners can work closely with their patients and develop ongoing relationships that allow them to deliver the most personalized care. Learn how to become an NP today.
Defining the Role of a Nurse Practitioner
Nurse practitioners are advanced practice nurses who can provide comprehensive primary care treatment services for their patients. According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, more and more patients are turning to NPs in order to receive their care, primarily because they appreciate the personalized approach to healthcare that nurse practitioners offer. In fact, the AANP notes that there are more than one billion visits to nurse practitioners each year in the United States.
Key Responsibilities and Scope of Practice
Nurse practitioners have the training and qualifications required to provide a wide range of primary care treatment services to patients, including prescribing medication. The key responsibilities of nurse practitioners include:
- Discussing medical histories and symptoms with patients.
- Examining patients.
- Ordering diagnostic tests, analyzing results, and providing patients with contextual information about results.
- Diagnosing illness and prescribing medication.
- Developing personalized treatment plans for patients based on their individual needs and preferences.
Nurse practitioners may work independently, though many do collaborate with physicians and other healthcare providers. Independent practice varies by state.
Why Choose a Career as a Nurse Practitioner?
You may want to consider pursuing a career as a nurse practitioner if:
- You have the desire to work independently and provide patients with comprehensive primary care services.
- You want to develop lasting relationships with your patients.
- You could find this to be a personally and professionally rewarding career opportunity.
The Appeal of Being a Nurse Practitioner
Becoming a nurse practitioner allows you to build upon your existing skill set and advance your career, while still playing a pivotal role in the lives of your patients. Many nurses pursue a career as a nurse practitioner because they want to continue working with patients. That said, they typically want more freedom and autonomy to provide their patients with comprehensive, customized care.
Impact on Patient Care and Community Health
Because nurse practitioners are often able to spend more time with their patients and can provide more personalized care, they tend to offer better patient outcomes than other healthcare providers. The American Association of Nurse Practitioners notes that patients of nurse practitioners have fewer unnecessary hospital admissions as well as fewer hospital readmissions.
Getting Started: Prerequisites for Aspiring Nurse Practitioners
Knowing the pathway toward becoming a nurse practitioner may help you prepare for this rewarding career path. Before you can begin an advanced practice nursing degree program, you will want to make sure that you have the right prerequisites.
Educational Background Needed
Nurse practitioners are considered to be advanced practice nurses, which means that anyone who is interested in pursuing this career must have a foundation in nursing. Generally, nurses need to have earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing and maintained their registered nurse license before they can begin working toward becoming a nurse practitioner.
Essential Skills and Qualities
Aspiring nurse practitioners should possess the following skills and qualities:
- Advanced nursing skills
- Patient management skills
- Nursing technology skills
- Empathetic
- Compassionate
- Understanding
- Culturally aware
Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming a Nurse Practitioner
Any nurse who is interested in advancing their career can follow this step-by-step guide that outlines how to become a nurse practitioner:
Step 1: Earn Your Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN)
Before earning an advanced nursing degree, you will need to first earn a bachelor of science in nursing. While some nurses may have initially earned their registered rurse (RN) license through an associate degree, the BSN program will build on that foundation. In your BSN program, you will enhance your nursing techniques and skills, complete clinicals, and gain insights into the current trends shaping the nursing profession today.
Step 2: Obtain Licensure as a Registered Nurse (RN)
After you graduate with your BSN degree, you then need to become licensed to practice as a registered nurse. While the requirements for RN licensure may vary by state, nearly all nurses need to pass the NCLEX-RN examination to obtain RN licensure.
Step 3: Gain Nursing Experience
Before you can begin pursuing a career as a nurse practitioner, you will want to gain nursing experience that allows you to become more familiar with the profession and discover your own interests and passions within it. Having significant experience caring for patients in a variety of clinical settings can help you figure out the best way to move your career forward.
Step 4: Complete a Graduate Program in Nursing
To practice as a nurse practitioner, you will need to complete a graduate degree program. Most commonly, aspiring nurse practitioners pursue a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with a focus on their desired specialty. For those who earn an MSN in a different area or wish to specialize further, a post-master’s certificate program can provide the additional training required to focus on a specific nurse practitioner specialty. This pathway allows nurses to gain the necessary expertise and credentials in their chosen field without the need to start a new degree program from scratch.
Step 5: Achieve Board Certification in Your Specialty
Regardless of the specialization that you pursue as a nurse practitioner, you will need to become nationally-certified in that specialty before you can begin working with patients. This certification process involves passing an exam that tests your knowledge and skills in your chosen area of practice. Achieving board certification not only validates your expertise but also enhances your credibility and career opportunities within the healthcare field.
Step 6: Secure State Licensure as a Nurse Practitioner
Finally, you must obtain state licensure as a nurse practitioner. Requirements to practice as a nurse practitioner may vary based on the state where you reside.
Choosing a Specialization
Choosing a specialization can be one of the highlights of preparing to become a nurse practitioner. Within this nursing profession, you will find that there are many different opportunities to specialize, allowing you to focus on a patient population that you are passionate about working with.
Overview of Nurse Practitioner Specialties
These are the primary nurse practitioner specialties to consider:
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care — This specialty allows nurse practitioners to work with adult and geriatric patients, providing them with personalized inpatient care.
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care — This specialty allows nurse practitioners to work with adult and geriatric patients to provide them with outpatient, primary care services.
- Family — Family nurse practitioners work with infants, children, adolescents, and adults, providing comprehensive primary care services for the entire family.
- Neonatal — This specialty allows nurse practitioners to work with infants who are born prematurely or with health complications, providing them with expert, personalized care during this critical time of their lives.
- Pediatric — Pediatric nurse practitioners work with infants and children up to 18 years of age, providing them with comprehensive primary care treatment services.
- Psychiatric Mental Health — Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners work with patients who have been diagnosed with psychiatric conditions or mental health disorders, providing them with either inpatient or outpatient care.
- Women’s Health — Women’s health nurse practitioners provide female patients with reproductive healthcare services and women’s health treatment services.
Considerations for Selecting Your Specialty
When selecting your specialty, consider your existing nursing experience. Additionally, think about the patient population with whom you are most interested in working.
The Path to Advancement: Further Education and Certification
Currently, the United States requires that nurse practitioners obtain a graduate degree in nursing to practice, but there are opportunities for further education and certification that can help you grow your nurse practitioner career.
Continuing Education for Nurse Practitioners
In addition, nurse practitioners may wish to further specialize by earning certifications in the nursing profession. Some certification programs that are available to nurse practitioners include informatics, sexual assault nurse examiner, nurse practitioner educator, orthopedics, dermatology, and more.
Financial Considerations
To develop the skills needed to advance your career in nursing, you will need to make an investment in your education. Whether that investment is worthwhile can be explored through the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) which cites earning potential and career outlook.
Tuition and Additional Costs of NP Programs
The cost associated with becoming a nurse practitioner may vary based on the degree program that you choose to pursue. Typically, an MSN degree will have a lower tuition rate than a DNP program, though exact tuition costs will fluctuate depending on the university that you choose to attend.
Funding Your Education: Scholarships and Loans
Scholarships and financial aid can help offset the cost of your education, making it easier for you to acquire the skills needed to become a nurse practitioner. At Post University, we are committed to making education as accessible as possible, and we are proud to offer scholarships and other ways to save.
Learn Advanced Practice Nursing Skills at Post University
Knowing how to become a nurse practitioner is the first step toward advancing your career. The next step is to begin developing the advanced skills needed to provide patients with personalized and attentive care. By pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing, you will be well-prepared to meet the demands of this profession. At Post University, our MSN program focuses on advanced concepts and nursing strategies, supporting your journey to becoming a skilled and impactful nurse practitioner.
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