How and Why to Become a Nurse Practitioner
Nursing is one of the most caring careers in the world, and while there are tons of opportunities for progression in nursing, nurses who progress are still centered around caring for and supporting others. Family nurse practitioners are healthcare professionals working on the front-line to provide a standard of high-quality, compassionate care to all their patients. Registered nurses study to become nurse practitioners to enjoy the many benefits of working in this profession, including better pay, more autonomy and independence, and in some cases, more sociable working hours.
Whether you’re just starting your journey to become a nurse or are currently a registered nurse considering career progression, there’s no doubt that this is a highly rewarding and satisfying role. Nurse practitioners spend their working day caring for patients and have a direct impact on improving their health and wellbeing. If you’re considering career progression in nursing, some of the main benefits of becoming a nurse practitioner include:
More Autonomy and Independence
In the majority of states, nurse practitioners are permitted to work independently of a physician, giving them the opportunity to take control and enjoy more autonomy at work. Nurse practitioners are licensed to diagnose conditions, prescribe medication, and refer patients for further treatment in much the same way as a physician would, which is just one of the reasons why they are so instrumental in closing the gap caused by the current shortage of primary care physicians, particularly in rural areas of the US. Family nurse practitioners have a wider range of choices when it comes to the settings in which they work, compared to registered nurses. As a nurse practitioner, you may consider working in a hospital or other healthcare settings, while many nurse practitioners start their own independent clinics. Retail clinics, providing drop-in healthcare in supermarkets and stores, are typically run by family nurse practitioners in states where this is permitted.
More Work Opportunities
Since nurse practitioners are not only helping to meet the demand for nurses caused by the nursing shortage but are also filling the gaps left by a shortage of primary care physicians, there is a high demand for them in almost every area of healthcare. Nurse practitioners can choose from a variety of different specialist areas with career opportunities in almost every aspect of healthcare for them after graduation. Nurse practitioners do not only work in hospitals; there are opportunities to work in doctor’s offices, their own clinics, retail clinics, pharmacies, schools, correctional facilities, within the community, in healthcare policy, and in medical research.
Growing Demand
With primary care provider numbers at an all-time low, there has never been a better time for registered nurses to consider online FNP school. Today, nurse practitioners have become a key solution to the issues faced due to the aging population. They are in especially high demand in rural and fragmented patient populations, along with urban and other mainstream healthcare environments. Finding work as a nurse practitioner wherever you go is certainly not difficult. As a nurse practitioner, you will be meeting the needs of patients using a combination of both nursing skills and primary medicine knowledge. Nurse practitioners focus heavily on patient wellbeing and education, to preventing disease and provide an exceptional level of care. Studies show that patients who primarily tend to visit a nurse practitioner for their healthcare needs will typically enjoy better health and lower rates of readmission. This is in part due to the fact that along with their direct caring role, nurse practitioners are often vocal advocates for their patients.
Competitive Salary Rates
For most nurses, their choice of career is less about earning money and more about the reward that comes with being able to help and support others. However, everybody needs to earn money and most people want to know that they’ll benefit from a pay rise when they put a lot of hard work and effort into advancing their career. In terms of salary, nursing is highly competitive today, something that is only getting better for nurses at all levels due to high demand. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the nationwide average salary for a nurse practitioner is just over $100k. Depending on your education, area of specialization, and the demand for nurse practitioners in the area where you work, you could earn even more than the average.
Flexible Working Options
Primary healthcare professionals are needed around the clock. Patients will need access to medical care 24/7 in any location. This, paired with the high demand for more primary care professionals, means that many nurse practitioners are able to enjoy a very flexible working schedule. Nurse practitioners who run their own clinics are able to choose the working hours that suit them best, unlike registered nurses who are often provided with shifts, although there is typically a lot of flexibility involved in regular nursing too. Once you’re qualified to work as a nurse practitioner, there are various settings that you can get involved with working in, whether you’d prefer to work nights and weekends or want a job that allows you to work standard business hours.
And, the flexibility of working as a nurse practitioner does not only extend to the hours that you work. You will also get to choose the type of patient that you would like to specialize in. Family nurse practitioners tend to see any patient of any age, but many will choose a certain focus, such as women’s health. You may also consider studying to become an adult-gerontology nurse practitioner if you’d prefer to work with adults, a psychiatric nurse practitioner if patients with mental health conditions are your specialization, or a neonatal nurse practitioner if you want to work with babies and infants.
Personal Growth
When it comes to personal growth and progression, the nursing field is one of the best career choices. With so many different roles that provide an opportunity for career advancement and progression, nurses are never short of new things to learn and new chances to grow. Nothing stays the same for very long in the field of healthcare, putting nurses and nurse practitioners in a position where they need to consistently stay up-to-date and current with all of the changes in the profession. Whether it’s learning about new conditions such as COVID-19, learning how to use new medical equipment and tools, or studying research into new groundbreaking treatments, there’s no such thing as stopping learning for nurse practitioners.
Enjoy Fast-Paced, Interesting Work
From licensed practical nurses to advanced nurse practitioners, it’s hard to deny that this career is fast-paced and filled with a wide range of different experiences at every level. Working as a nurse practitioner is a career where no two days are going to be the same. Wherever your career as a nurse practitioner takes you in terms of the work environment, whether you are working in a hospital setting, running your own clinic, working in an office alongside a primary care physician, or providing drop-in care to patients at a retail clinic, every shift that you work will bring new challenges, different experiences, and the opportunity to expand your knowledge. There’s no such thing as boredom at any level of the nursing profession; the work is highly engaging and the level of focus that is required of you will ensure that you are always motivated to perform to the best of your ability and develop your skills further.
Further Career Opportunities
Many nurses have the final goal of becoming a nurse practitioner, but for those who want to advance even further, there are still options for career progression at this point. Nurse practitioners who would like to develop their careers even further may consider going on to become a nurse leader, a nurse executive, or a role teaching and mentoring the next generation of nurses. Nurse practitioners who want to study more may consider a doctor of nursing practice degree, which will qualify them to work in a wide range of even more advanced roles or move into a research-based position where you will be working on the cutting-edge of medical and healthcare research to bring new treatments and a better standard of care to the industry.
Make a Real Difference
As a nurse practitioner, you will not only be making a difference to your patients through the regular care and support that you provide to them, but you’ll also get a better chance to be a real advocate for your patients compared to working as a registered nurse. Nurse practitioners are often tasked with providing healthcare education and counseling to their patients, educating them on better looking after their health and wellbeing, promoting the prevention of disease, and providing patients with the tools that they need to live healthier lives. Nurse practitioners are often heavily involved with healthcare policy, working tirelessly to advocate and improve the patient experience and ensure that the medical industry is held to high standards when it comes to ensuring that patient needs are met.
The Pathway to Becoming a Nurse Practitioner
If the benefits of being a nurse practitioner appeal to you, you may be considering the best pathway to take in order to get your foot in the door in this career. There are various routes to choose from when it comes to being a nurse practitioner, with a range of programs that you can study to achieve the education, skills, and experience required. If you already have a BSN, you can take an advanced degree to become a nurse practitioner. For those who are not yet qualified nurses, the steps are as follows:
1. Get Your BSN
Becoming a registered nurse is the first step to take towards becoming a nurse practitioner. The best way to do this is by getting a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN). While there are other routes into nursing, such as an associate’s degree, many employers today require nurses to hold a BSN, which takes around four years to complete. If you are considering changing careers to become a nurse practitioner and hold a bachelor’s degree in another subject, you can opt for an accelerated BSN program that allows you to get qualified in two years or less.
2. Get Work Experience
Once you’ve graduated and passed the licensing exam to become a registered nurse, the next step is to gain some relevant work experience. It’s a good idea to work as a registered nurse for a while before getting your advanced degree, since this will give you the chance to decide if the career route is the best option for you based on your on-the-job experiences and will make it easier for you to determine which areas you would like to get into as a nurse practitioner. For example, working as a registered nurse in the ER is often favored by those who want to go on to work as a nurse practitioner, since it provides you with a huge range of opportunities to treat a variety of patients and work out what you are interested in the most.
3. Get an Advanced Degree
Once you’ve gained some work experience, you are more likely to be accepted onto advanced nurse practitioner degree programs, and will be in a better position to decide the pathway for your career. Whether you decide to work as a family nurse practitioner or become a nurse practitioner specializing in a different area of healthcare, take some time to select the right nurse practitioner degree for you. Another benefit of getting work experience before applying to study a nurse practitioner degree program is that many healthcare employers are willing to reimburse tuition or even cover your fees, especially if there is a high demand for more nurse practitioners at your place of work, and your studies will benefit them as much as you. Nurse practitioners are quickly becoming some of the most in-demand professionals around the world. Registered nurses can qualify to became a nurse practitioner with a master of science in nursing (MSN) or a specialized nurse practitioner degree program. As a nurse practitioner, you will enjoy several further benefits at this advanced level including more autonomy over your work, better rates of pay, and very high demand for your skills and expertise.
