Nurse Practitioners are Registered Nurses who serve as primary and specialty health care providers under a physician. They can specialize in family practice, pediatrics, women’s health, mental health and more. Most Nurse Practitioners work alongside doctors in a hospital or outpatient facility, but some run their own private practices.
Things You'll Do:
- Prescribe medication
- Diagnose diseases
- Initiate treatment plans
- Order patient lab tests
Your job characteristics:
- Multifaceted
- Structured
- Patient-facing
- Independent
How You'll Get There
-
Get YourBachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
-
Pass YourNational Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX)
-
You can start working as a Registered Nurse.
More about becoming an RN › -
Get YourMaster of Science in Nursing (MSN)
-
Get significant clinical experience as a Nurse Practitioner (amount of experience varies by specialty).
More about this requirement › -
Get YourBoard Certification in your specialty through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
-
Become aCertified Registered Nurse Practitioner (CRNP)
More About this Specialty
-
Meet
Craigread his story
Nurse Practitioner, RN
I already had a degree in biology, but while I was training to be an EMT I learned about nurse practitioners...
-
Nursing Notes Live
download
Panel Discussion on Clinical Nurse Specialists and other Advanced Nurses.
-
Meet
KathyRead her story
Clinical Nurse Specialist, RN
I went to nursing school directly out of high school. At that time, women's career choices were limited.
-
How Much You
Can Makean average salary of
$63K - $85Kfind salary by stateWhat Else You
Can Expect- 13% more jobs from 2008-2018
- You’ll have more responsibility in a variety of practices and areas of medicine, than the average staff nurse.
Related Content-
Nurses with Disabilities
See Resources -
Find Your
see more
School