People at times get confused or cannot differentiate between a nurse and a Nurse Practitioner.
Maybe it is because they often put on the same uniform so one cannot tell who is a nurse or nurse practitioner.
But I tell you today that there’s a big difference between a nurse and a nurse practitioner.
This write-up will help you know more about nurse practitioners, their skills, duties, gadgets used by them, and their estimated salary per year.
Table of Contents
Who is a Nurse Practitioner?
A Nurse practitioner is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) who helps by serving as a primary health care provider.
A Nurse Practitioner is one who must have fulfill the required nurse practitioner schooling: either a Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).
A nurse practitioner is trained to evaluate patient needs, interpret diagnostic and laboratory tests.
Nurse practitioners are trained to diagnose illness and disease.
They also prescribe medication and formulate treatment plans.
Nurse practitioners provide thorough care to patients not only do they do diagnostics but focus on preventive health care maintenance.
A good nurse practitioner should possess the following skills
- Good Communication skills-Â A nurse practitioner must know how to communicate with people
- Must understand and share in the feelings of another
- Must be emotional stable in case of a crisis
- Must have Interpersonal skills
- Attention to detail
- Must be flexible
- Must be respectful
- Physical endurance
- Quick response
- Problem solving skills- quick to solve problems
Specialties of Nurse Practitioner
A Nurse Practitioner Specializes in the following fields
- Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Orthopedic Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Emergency Nurse Practitioner
- Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner
- Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
- Oncology Nurse Practitioner
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
An Acute Care Nurse Practitioners (ACNPs) provides health care to patients in acute care and/or in hospitals.
Acute Care NPs attend to patients when they are ill, in hospital admission, and/or after going through a surgical procedure and/or trauma. Their main job is to care for adults with complex or critical diseases.
Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioners are nurses that specialize in taking care of adults right from adolescence through geriatric care.
They manage chronic and critical conditions, diseases, as well as other health issues by working with patients and their caregivers.
Orthopedic Nurse Practitioner
An Orthopedic Nurse Practitioner pays more attention to the care and treatment of patients who suffer musculoskeletal issues.
These problems could consist of disease and/or injuries of the bones, joints, muscles, and supporting connective tissue.
Family Nurse Practitioner
A Family nurse practitioners or Family Practice Nurse Practitioners (FNPs) offers primary health care services to individuals and families all through their lives.
Emergency Nurse Practitioner
An Emergency Nurse Practitioners takes care, assesses, diagnoses and manages illnesses and injuries that need immediate attention.
They can work with little or no supervision, detecting which patients need the most urgent care, deciding treatment, keeping an eye on Patient’s conditions and offering education and consultation.
Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner
Aesthetic Nurse Practitioners focuses on skin care, improving their patients’ appearance through medical cosmetic procedures.
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners also known as Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs) takes care of the mental health needs of children, adults, families, communities, and/or groups.
They help individuals manage various psychiatric illnesses and disorders and also help people who are a victim of substance abuse disorders.
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
A Pediatric Nurse Practitioners is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurses whose sole job lies in caring and treating children from babyhood all the way to their adult age.
They check on patients on a one-on-one basis, providing care services such as well check-ups, diagnosing illnesses, immunizations, as well as treating chronic and acute diseases.
Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
A Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) specializes in the careful assistance of women all through their lives.
Their sole focus is on the obstetric, reproductive, and gynecological health services and work in a primary care office instead of a delivery room or hospital.
Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioners are nurses that specialize in taking care of adults right from adolescence through geriatric care.
They manage chronic and critical conditions, diseases, as well as other health issues by working with patients and their caregivers.
Oncology Nurse Practitioner
An oncology nurse practitioner takes appropriate care of patients who have been diagnosed with cancer.
They work with other healthcare officials including physicians to prepare treatment plans for cancer patients.
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
Neonatal Nurse Practitioners take care of premature and ill newborns and also diagnose them, giving treatment plans, and recommend medication.
These Nurses assist in delivering patients in specific settings.
Steps in Becoming a Nurse Practitioner
1. Become a Registered Nurse(RN)
Before one can become a nurse practitioner, one must become a registered nurse.
This is achieved by studying for either an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN) program.
2. Get your Bachelor’s Degree
If you are not a BSN holder already, you may want to study and get your Bachelor’s in Nursing Science degree.
For Nurses with an ADN, they can enroll in accelerated RN-BSN programs. Most of them can be studied and completed online.
You could go straight from your ADN to getting an MSN program if you want to skip the step of obtaining your Bachelor’s degree. Nevertheless, check step four for more.
3. Earn a Nursing Experience
Most nurses may decide to go directly into enrolling in a graduate program instead of getting a nursing experience while some prefer to get some years of experience before they continue their education.
4. Enroll in a Graduate Program to Obtain a Degree (MSN OR DNP)
To become a nurse practitioner for RNs who has already gained a bachelor’s degree, the easiest route is to earn a master’s degree.
For RNs who do not have a bachelor’s degrees, they could resort to a RN-to-MSN programs.
You could also find some programs known as ADN-to-MSN (which is Associate Degree in Nursing to Master’s).
Most institutions provide doctoral degrees like Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs. This is the highest level of nursing education available.
5. Gain an Advanced Practice Nursing Licensure In Practical Nursing
The specifics for Nurse Practitioner licensure differ by state.
You will have to check for the requirements needed for one to become an NP in the state you’d love to work in.
There is also a national model for NP licensure, but note that it also varies from state-to-state. check out a complete state-by-state requirements of becoming an NP here and make sure to check with the school you want to attend.
6. Get your First Nurse Practitioner Job
This is where your congratulations is deserved. Now, you have succeeded, be ready to get your first job as a Nurse Practitioner.
Where to work is not a problem. You get a job with a nurse recruiter or check out for nursing job boards to assist you find the position that best suits you.
What Qualification is Required to be a Nurse Practitioner?
To become a nurse practitioner, the first thing to do is that you must be a qualified registered nurse.
You must also complete at least three years of clinical practice in a selected specialization, and obtain a postgraduate qualification in nursing (nurse practitioner).
Working Conditions of a Nurse Practitioner
Nurse practitioners work in different environments such as health care agencies, health departments, health clinics, nursing homes, schools , universities as well as private homes.
They work during weekends and even holidays, they do shifts as well.
What are the Duties of a Nurse Practitioner?
The duties of a nurse practitioner are as follows
- They manage patient’s overall care
- They prescribe medication and treatment for patients
- They conduct and interpret diagnostic tests such as lab works and x-rays
- They diagnose and treat chronic and acute conditions like injuries, diabetes, infections and high blood pressure
Salary Details of a Nurse Practitioner Per Year
Nurse practitioners pay may vary depending on their specialty, experience, state of practice and other factors.
For example Nurse practitioners in the emergency unit and dermatological unit are the highest paid. They can earn more than $120,000 per year .
The annual pay of a nurse practitioner is from $91,000 to $120, 000 depending on their level of specialty and experience.
Nurse Practitioner Salaries by Specialty
| General Nurse Practitioner | $115,800 |
| Family Nurse Practitioner | $105,898 |
| Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner | $90,102 |
| Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner | $107,309 |
| Pediatric Nurse Practitioner | $107,309 |
| Acute Care Nurse Practitioner | $110,076 |
| Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner | $91,454 |
| Orthopedic Nurse Practitioner | $100,035 |
| Emergency Nurse Practitioner | $113,840 |
| Neonatal Nurse Practitioner | $124,756 |
Which Schools Have the Best Nurse Practitioner Programs?
Below are the top best 10 Nurse Practitioner Programs
University of Virginia
Program Period: 22 Months
Online: No
Annual In-State Tuition Fees : $21,382
Annual Out-state Tuition Fees: $34,054
Yale University
Online: No
Program Period: 22 Months
Annual In-State Tuition Fees : $48, 795
Duke University
Program Period: 22 Months
Online: Hybrid
Annual In-State Tuition Fees : $47,817(per-credit rate)
Program Period: 22 Months
University of Pennsylvania
Program Period: 16 Months
Online: Hybrid
Annual In-State Tuition Fees : $51,094
Emory University
Online: Hybrid
Annual In-State Tuition Fees : $45,732
Program Period: 22 Months
Georgetown University
Program Period: 19 Months
Total Program Cost: $97,416
Online: Hybrid
University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill
Online: Hybrid
Annual Out-State Tuition Fees:$41,280
Annual In-State Tuition Fees:$23,554
Program Period: 22 Months
Vanderbilt University
Online: No
Total Program Cost: $110,386
Program Period: 22 Months
Boston College
Online: No
Total Program Cost: $77,522
Program Period: 36 Months
Columbia College
Online: No
Total Program Cost: $71,480
Program Period: 36 Months
What are the Tools and Technologies a Nurse Practitioner should use.
Tools and Technologies used by Nurse practitioners include:
- Computers
- Monitors
- Intravenous devices
- Bar-coding
- Scanners
- Nursing Lab Coat
- Stethoscope
- Medical Tapes and Bandage Scissors
- Thermometer
- Sphygmomanometer
- Hand Sanitizer
- Highlighter Syringe Pens
- Pulse Oximeter
Tips for Writing a Nurse Practitioner Resume
- Make sure you put important information first
- Be specific about the job you are applying for
- Make Your Nurse Practitioner Resume visually-appealing, easy to read and focused
- Â You have to follow a proven Nurse Practitioner resume template i.e. Search on google to see other NP resume
- Do not ruin a good CV by including any types, false statements, or other errors.
- Make sure you proofread repeatedly before sending it out to your potential employers.
- Do well to make sure your summary is great. This is where you have a chance to sell your skill and attract the hiring managers.
- Don’t fail to add your job responsibilities as a nurse practitioner, such as diagnosing and treating illnesses as well as including information about your abilities to offer quality patient care.
- Remember to include your good attributes like vital hobbies at the end of the Resume.
- It is appropriate to add quantifiable information of your work history, such as high record of patient satisfaction or rates of treatment successes.
Summary: Nurse Practitioner
With this post, I believe you understand everything about Nurse practitioners (NP)
Nurse Practitioners act like doctors in cases where a doctor is not available. They diagnose and interprets diagnostic and laboratory tests to patients something a registered nurse cannot do.
If you are one who loves the medical profession, you can start your journey on becoming a great Nurse Practitioner. This post is well detailed to help you get started on your pursuing your future.
All your Suggestions, Recommendations and Comments are highly welcomed
