Nurse Practitioner (NP)

What is a Nurse Practitioner (NP)?

The following job responsibilities are common for individuals in nurse practitioner roles:

• Perform physicals, take vitals, and collect patient medical histories
• Listen to patient concerns and provide guidance on improving or sustaining health
• Take blood, skin, and urine samples and order laboratory tests of samples
• Diagnose diseases and other disorders, and either prescribe medications or refer patients to physicians for further care
• Administer immunizations and other injections, perform skin biopsies, and stitch injuries

A Day in the Life of a Nurse Practitioner

Nurse practitioners (NPs) are registered nurses that undergo training beyond a bachelor’s degree in order to provide more advanced care to patients. While many physicians are concerned with treatment of diseases and disorders, nurse practitioners are more concerned with disease management and preventative health care. Nurse practitioners commonly specialize in working with a specific group of people, such as diabetics, children, seniors, women of childbearing age, or organ transplant recipients.

NPs perform some traditional nursing tasks as well as tasks more commonly performed by physicians. They often work in private physicians’ offices, unlike RNs who more commonly work in hospitals. When patients arrive for an appointment, the NP collects medical histories, performs physical examinations, and listens to patients’ health concerns. However, the NP also goes a step further, ordering laboratory tests when needed, diagnosing diseases, illnesses, and disorders, and prescribing treatments.

Each state has its own set of regulations that dictate the types of tasks nurse practitioners are allowed to perform. In some states, NPs can prescribe medications, but in others, NPs must work with physicians to prescribe medication. In all states, the nurse practitioner works under the guidance and supervision of a physician. NPs may also focus their work on teaching patients how to manage and prevent disease, teaching diabetics how to control their glucose levels, or teaching teenagers about STDs and prevention.

Typical Work Schedule for Nurse Practitioners

Nurse practitioners typically work full-time following the regular schedule of 40 hours per week. Some may also work on-call or part-time for fewer hours per week. They may also have to work longer hours during emergencies. Similar to other healthcare jobs, you will have to rotate around different work shifts including working in the evenings and weekends. This may be stressful to some people and prevent them from maintaining their life routine. While most nurse practitioners work in physicians’ offices, hospitals, and outpatient care centers, some make house calls to patients’ homes or travel long distances to provide healthcare services in underserved areas which may add longer hours to the working schedule.

Projected Job Growth for Nurse Practitioners

According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, there are more than 290,000 nurse practitioners registered in the US with around 30,000 graduating each year. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that the demand for this job is expected to grow by 48% from 2019 to 2029. This is one of the highest growth rates and much higher than the average expected growth rate for other jobs. This expected growth is mainly attributed to the growing emphasis on preventive care and the aging population. Nurse practitioners play a major role in preventive care by focusing on counseling, health education and guidance. Additionally, many states are allowing nurse practitioners to perform a wider variety of health care services. The high growth rate of demand makes the job market promising for fresh graduates and you should not face any problem starting your career in this field provided that you have the required qualifications.

Career Progression

• Early Career: Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
• Mid-Career: Registered Nurse (RN)
• Late Career: Nurse Practitioner (NP), Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), Nurse Midwife (CNM)

Typical Employers

Nurse practitioners work for a variety of health care settings. Main employers include hospitals and physicians’ offices. Some provide hospice services while others may prefer to work in schools. In some states, NPs can also open their own private practices. You can also work for ambulatory care centers, community organizations and insurance companies. In addition, the practitioner’s specialization may provide the NP with more employers. For instance, a women’s health nurse practitioner may work at a women’s clinic, while a candidate who specializes in geriatrics may practice at a nursing home.