Nurse Practitioners
A nurse practitioner (NP), also referred to as an advanced nurse practitioner (APN) is a registered nurse (RN) who has advanced education and additional training in a particular nursing specialty like adult gerontology, pediatrics, and family practice. NPs can also subspecialize further in other more specific areas focusing on specific conditions like dermatology, psychiatry, oncology, and cardiovascular health.
Duties and responsibilities of nurse practitioners
Because of their advanced skills, nurse practitioners are granted more authority and are tasked with more complex responsibilities regarding patient care than registered nurses. Among the primary duties of an NP include diagnosing illnesses, prescribing medications, conducting physical exams, and providing advanced medical treatments like a regular doctor. However, even though NPs have more authority than RNs, most states require that they practice under the supervision of a doctor. Apart from diagnosing illnesses and developing treatment plans, NPs are first and foremost, nurses, which means they also perform typical nursing duties, including disease prevention and patient education.
Specialization programs option for a nurse practitioner
A nurse practitioner can work in a wide range of healthcare settings, including hospitals, clinics, home-based care, nursing homes, and personal practice. Some of the most common areas of specialization for nurse practitioners include gerontology, neonatal care, psychiatry, pediatrics, family medicine, pediatrics, women’s health, and acute care.
How to become a nurse practitioner
The educational path to becoming a nurse practitioner can be quite demanding. The first step is to become a registered nurse by earning your bachelor’s in nursing (BSN), associate’s degree, or a nursing diploma. You must also pass the NCLEX-RN exams to become a registered nurse. However, a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is the minimum requirement of becoming an NP. Most MSN programs require a nurse to have a BSN for admission and therefore, those with an MSN are required to obtain a BSN.
Upon achieving your MSN, you can proceed to apply for a nurse practitioner program. Some people also opt to specialize while practising as RNs. However, it is advisable to first practice for a few years and acquire clinical expertise before enrollment. When picking an NP program, ensure it is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The final stage is seeking certification by completing both national and state-specific certification and licensure requirements after which you will be considered competent to begin practice as a nurse practitioner.
Nurse practitioners are important players in health care delivery. The already high demand for NPs in the job market across all specialties is also expected to increase significantly in the next ten years, thanks to the advanced training and high level of competency.
References
Forsberg, I., Swartwout, K., Murphy, M., Danko, K., & Delaney, K. R. (2015). Nurse practitioner education: Greater demand, reduced training opportunities. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 27(2), 66-71.
Kandrack, R., Barnes, H., & Martsolf, G. R. (2019). Nurse practitioner scope of practice regulations and nurse practitioner supply. Medical Care Research and Review, 1077558719888424.
Thomas, A., Crabtree, M. K., Delaney, K., Dumas, M. A., Kleinpell, R., Marfell, J., & Wolf, A. (2017). Nurse practitioner core competencies content. The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties.
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