Why Become A Nurse Practitioner?

ANurse Practitioner`s practice incorporates a special blend of medicine and nursing that helps bridge the gap between patient care and cure. With fewer physicians entering Family Practice, they fill a need for more accessible health care for all. In 1965, the University of Colorado became the birthplace of the nurse practitioner and caring movements, becoming one of the first schools to offer a Doctor of Nursing Practice(DNP) program. Born out of a need to bring more accessible care to children, it has blossomed into a practice that presents today`s nurse practitioners with unique advantages such as increased authority, freedom, income, and job satisfaction.

Registered nurses looking for a career option that offers a stimulating practice environment,  challenges, and a large degree of autonomy  will find becoming a nurse practitioner very rewarding. A Nurse Practitioner`s responsibilities include many duties once only performed by physicians. Some of these include patient examinations, going over medical history, diagnosing and treating injuries and infections, ordering and examining diagnostic tests, as well as writing prescriptions. With a little closer examination, we can see some of the tasks performed by Nurse Practitioners regularly.

Educating and advocating a healthier lifestyle are but two of the main objectives of the Nurse Practitioner. Communicating with empathy is important to narrow the divide between patient and professional also. Through their unique expertise and perspective, Nurse Practitioners meet comprehensive and complex patient needs through:

Assessment

• Obtaining medical history
• Physically examining the patient
• Conducting preventative tests such as for vision and hearing
• Recognizing any risks the patient may be exposed to and summarize the patients needs

Diagnosis

• Ordering any diagnostic tests the patient may need
• Assess patient health, medical history, and diagnostic tests

Developing And Administering Patient Health Care Plan

• Ascertain needs of patient and family based on subjective and objective information collected
• Actualizing a comprehensive care plan
• Provide and encourage positive health care education
• Regularly reassess and make modifications to plan of care in order to achieve health care goals
• When necessary, make referrals to appropriate health care professionals

Looking past technical skills, character traits play an integral role in deciding to further your career from Registered Nurse to Nurse Practitioner. The ability to exhibit maturity, sound judgment, compassion and understanding are all qualities of a good candidate. Inspiring both peers and patients positively and remaining calm in tense situations are additional hallmarks of an ideal candidate. Opportunity for professional independence is there for Nurse Practitioners that exhibit these qualities.

Nurse Practitioners specialize in practice areas that include:

1. Pediatrics Nurse Practitioners provide pediatric health care to well and ill infants, children and adolescents. PNP`s provide health maintenance care for children, including well child examinations, perform routine developmental screenings, diagnose and treat common childhood illnesses, provide anticipatory guidance regarding common child health concerns, provide childhood immunizations, perform school physicals, and provide individualized quality health care for children and families in an extensive range of practice settings.

2. Neonatal Nurse Practitioners, specialize in the advanced practice in providing care for newborns with a variety of conditions requiring individual treatment in in hospital neonatal intensive care units, or NICUs. Prematurity, sepsis, respiratory distress, and disorders or abnormalities requiring surgery are a few of the common diagnoses found among infants in NICUs. Neonatal Nurse Practitioners manage neonatal patients using extensive knowledge of pathophysiology, pharmacology, and physiology, the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner exercises independent judgment in the assessment, diagnosis and initiation of nursing and delegated medical processes and procedures.

3. Adult/Family Nurse Practitioners provide primary nursing and medical services to individuals, families and groups, emphasizing health promotion and disease prevention as well as the diagnosis and management of acute and chronic diseases primarily in outpatient, ambulatory settings, and community health center settings. FNP`s provide comprehensive medical services in the health management of patients, coordinate referrals when needed, and provide follow-up care.

4. Nurse-Midwifery Practitioners provide primary as well as specialized care to antepartum, intrapartum and postpartum, and newborn patients across multiple locations such as birthing centers, hospitals, and outpatient clinics.

5. Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA) are advanced practice nurses who administer anesthesia. CRNAs practice in every setting where anesthesia is available and are the sole anesthesia providers in more than two-thirds of all rural hospitals. They administer every type of anesthetic, and provide care for every type of surgery or procedure, from open heart to cataract to pain management.

6. Gerontological Nurse Practitoners provide primary health care for older adults in a wide variety of practice settings. GNP`s diagnose and manage acute and chronic diseases, taking a holistic approach to meet the medical, psychosocial and functional needs of older persons.

Benefits Of Becoming A Nurse Practitioner Include

The benefits of advancing your career to a higher level of practice are many and varied. Increasing your level of autonomy and personal job satisfaction aside, Nurse practitioners earn anywhere from $72,000 to $100,000 plus per year depending on experience, specialty, and practice setting. Nurse Practitioners frequently work along side doctors in private practice settings, but also work in their own clinics, in hospitals, in government service, for corporations, and for major insurers.

Nurse Practitioners practice independently under the statutes of Nurse Practice Acts that govern their individual state, and can open their own practice or practice in groups just like physicians, unlike Physician Assistants, who must work under the direction of a physician. As health care needs grow more complex, the need for Nurse Practitioners to provide primary care services will continue growing as fewer and fewer physicians become general practitioners.

Salary is only one satisfying element of a Nurse Practitioner career. Being able to practice more independently and to provide more long term and comprehensive patient care provides a great deal of personal satisfaction. Knowing you make a real difference for the better in people`s lives is priceless.

Become a Nurse Practitioner Online
Achieve the education you need to turn your career dreams into reality. Explore our comprehensive directory of online and campus based accredited Nurse Practitioner degree programs and request free no-obligation information directly from any of our featured schools... Education is your key to a brighter future, and that key is just a mouse click away! Explore Online Nurse Practitioner Programs

Olivet Nazarene University - Graduate and Continuing Studies

Campus

Advance your career with Olivet Nazarene University - Graduate and Continuing Studies. We offer continuing education certificates and master's degrees in history, counseling, religion, business, education, and nursing, plus a Doctorate of Education in Ethical Leadership.

Programs:

• Certification - Family Nurse Practitioner
• Master of Science in Nursing - Family Nurse Practitioner
• Master of Science in Nursing

Campus Locations:

Bourbonnais

University of Phoenix

Campus

As the largest private university in North America, University of Phoenix has more than 200 locations, and is available online in most countries around the world. Whether you're seeking a college degree at an associate's, bachelor's, master's, or doctoral level, we can help you reach your academic goal—and sooner than you might think.

Programs:

• MS in Nursing/Family Nurse Practitioner
• BS in Nursing (RN Required)
• M.S. in Nursing

Campus Locations:

Los Angeles
Ontario
Sacramento
Pasadena
Tucson
Costa Mesa
Phoenix
Flint
Hollywood
Online
Houston
Elk Grove
Livonia
Clinton Township
Gardena
Las Vegas
Plantation
Nashville
Henderson
Salida
Clearwater
Miami
Littleton
Orlando
Grand Rapids
San Jose
San Antonio
Fort Lauderdale
Dallas
St Louis Park
Palm Beach Gardens
Tampa
Murrieta
Manassas
Arlington
Woodland Hills
Lathrop
Jacksonville
San Francisco
Diamond Bar
Independence
Bakersfield
Temple Terrace
Baton Rouge
Beachwood
Chandler
Aurora
St. Louis
San Diego
Sarasota
Maitland
Fresno
Lancaster
Rancho Cordova
Killeen
Spring
Fairfield
Mesa
Saint Louis
Livermore
Roseville
Reston
Hurst
Irving
Ann Arbor
East Lansing
Westminster
Westlake
Saint Paul
Fairfax
Daytona Beach
Troy
Sugar Land
Lone Tree
Oakland
Southfield
Portage
Palm Desert

Georgetown University School of Nursing & Health Studies

Online

Founded in 1789, Georgetown University is the nation's oldest Catholic and Jesuit university. Today, Georgetown is a major international research university that embodies its founding principles in the diversity of our students, faculty, and staff, our commitment to justice and the common good, our intellectual openness, and our international character.

Programs:

• Nurse Midwifery/Womens Health Nurse Practitioner
• Family Nurse Practitioner

University of St. Mary

Online

Give your career a boost with University of Saint Mary. We offer online degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels to help make your educational and professional goals a reality.

Programs:

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Independence University

Campus

You can advance your career 24/7 with online education at Independence University, your proven partner with over 30 years of experience in delivering quality distance education right to our students. Our programs are designed to allow you to continue working and earning as you pursue your online degree.

Programs:

• BS - Nursing
• MS - Nursing Administration

Campus Locations:

Salt Lake City

Walden University

Online

Balance your personal and professional commitments while earning a respected Ph.D., master's degree, or bachelor's degree online at Walden University. Programs offered in management, education, psychology and health and human services.

Programs:

• M.S. in Nursing (MSN) - BSN Track
• Post-Masters Certificates in Nursing - Nursing Education
• B.S. in Nursing (BSN)

Kaplan University

Campus

Advance your career and get the distinct competitive advantage you need with an online degree from Kaplan University. And do it without missing a day of work.

Programs:

• MS in Nursing
• RN to MS in Nursing
• RN to BS in Nursing

Campus Locations:

Fort Lauderdale

University of Southern Nevada

Online

The USN accelerated online program offers accelerated nursing education that allows you to earn a BSN in just 14 months. This new program blends the personal convenience of online course study with enriching clinical learning in Henderson, Nevada.

Programs:

• Accelerated BSN

Career Colleges of America

Campus

Get your career started with Career Colleges of America. We have four campuses in the Los Angeles area offering a wide variety of allied health training programs.

Programs:

• Vocational Nurse
• Nurse Assistant

Campus Locations:

San Bernardino
Los Angeles
Gardena
South Gate

Carrington College California

Campus

Carrington College California offers the programs you need to begin a career in healthcare. Choose from Healthcare, Massage Therapy, Dental Assisting, Pharmacy Technology, or Veterinary Services.

Programs:

• AS in Registered Nursing
• AS in Vocational Nursing
• Certificate in Vocational Nursing

Campus Locations:

Sacramento
San Leandro
Antioch
San Jose

Bryant and Stratton College

Campus

Give your career a boost with an education from Bryant and Stratton College. We offer certificate, associate degree, and bachelor's degree programs for careers in the business, criminal justice, design, finance, technology, health care, and legal fields.

For more information about Bryant and Stratton’s graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program, and other important information, please visit our website at www.bryantstratton.edu/disclosures.

Programs:

• Nursing

Campus Locations:

Milwaukee
Richmond

Fortis Institute

Campus

Looking to prepare for your dream career? Fortis Institute can give you the skills and training you need to succeed in the fast-growing and high-demand healthcare field. * Programs vary by location * Please contact each individual campus for accreditation information * Fortis Institute - Indianapolis advertising code is AC-0163.

Programs:

• Associate Degree in Nursing
• PN RN Associate Degree Bridge Program
• Accelerated BSN

Campus Locations:

Cuyahoga Falls
Salt Lake City
Miami
Westerville
Tampa
Cincinnati
Pensacola
Indianapolis
Dayton
Nashville
Largo
Richmond
Birmingham
Erie
Scranton
Phoenix
Ravenna
Smyrna

Carrington College

Campus

Carrington College has helped over 45,000 graduates realize their dream of a career in healthcare. Now it's your turn. Choose from eleven conveniently located campuses.

Programs:

• Registered Nursing

Campus Locations:

Portland
Phoenix
Boise
Albuquerque

Concorde

Campus

Get your career started with Concorde Career College. Our training programs are short, affordable, and hands-on. We offer training programs in medical assisting, dental assisting, insurance coding, respiratory therapy, surgical technology, vocational/practical nursing, patient care, and more.

Programs:

• Nursing - (AS)
• Nursing - (AAS)
• Vocational Nurse

Campus Locations:

Kansas City
Tampa
Aurora
Arlington
San Bernardino
Orlando
Garden Grove
Portland
San Diego
North Hollywood

CollegeAmerica

Campus

Finally, a college that delivers. CollegeAmerica is truly unique in that their curriculum is designed for one purpose and one purpose only: to prepare students for success.

Programs:

• Bachelor of Science Completion in Nursing (Online)
• Associate Degree in Nursing
• Bachelor of Science Completion in Nursing Administration (Online)

Campus Locations:

Colorado Springs
Phoenix
Fort Collins
Cheyenne
Flagstaff
Denver