Selecting a career may require you to know the nature of the job. This is especially true for the medical field, since the job descriptions of so many professions in this field are similar. A Nurse Practitioner is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN). Some of their work cannot be done by nurses. Depending on the specialization, NPs have differentiated work. Let us look at the general job duties and that of their specializations.
Table Of Contents:
- Nurse Practitioner Salary
- Nurse Practitioner Employment Outlook
- How To Become A Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Practitioner Job Description
How Much Does A Nurse Practitioner Make In Northfield?
The average salary for a nurse practitioner is around $90,000. The NP receives higher salary than RNs, which is approximately $65,000. This value is lower compared to an NP since an NP goes through more training and education and later earns the right to practice medicine.
[asd_program_button /]Location
The higher the demand for NPs, the higher they will be paid. NPs in Hawaii are the highest earners among all the states as they receive $115,000 every year. This amount is 30% higher than the average national salary. In Delaware, NPs could earn as much as $67,000.
Length of Practice
Salary increase in this field is rare even for those who have extensive experience. It increases about 10-15% over 20 years of experience.
Ability
A range of skills can increase your potential to earn a lot more. Acute care and Emergency room skills will be something that can increase your average salary to up to $99,000. Whereas family care can take it only up to $92,000. Those who earn somewhere in between are mostly geriatrics and internal medicine practitioners.
Work Promotions
Salary raise in the field could only be achieved when you get a promotion or when you earn a specialization. To do this there are several options. A Nurse Practitioner Anesthetist earns $150,000 annually, which is one option. Another is by becoming an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner, who earns slightly more than the regular NP. Becoming a Family, Pediatric NP, Psychiatrist NP, or an Adult NP are the top options, as well. You could also increase your salary with other specializations after doing the procedures. These things will require an additional certification and some more hours of training in that specific field.
Benefits
NPs also receive some benefits. These include paid vacations, retirement planning and health insurance. Most of the time, the company gives back the amount of money spent on further schooling that enhances their abilities. They are also paid to attend certain conferences and their registration fees are taken care of.
Because of this shortage for main medical practitioners, many aspiring health care professionals would most likely work in the field. Therefore, an increase in Nurse Practitioners salary is more likely to happen in time. NPs also tend to have more time on their hands to opt for the work assignment they want.
The Status of Nurse Practitioner Employment In Northfield
In 2014, the United States of America provided 170,000 jobs to nurse practitioners. Over the next decade, the BLS expects approximately 31% development in the field. In other words, that period will have roughly 57,000 new jobs. The lack of medical professionals caused this. The number of doctors and physicians cannot cope with the increasing medical needs of the population. Thus, the need of people like PAs and NPs is increasing and is projected to increase even further. The jobs for neonatal NPs will boost by 34%. The same could be said with Family, Pediatric, Gastroenterology, and Hospitalist NPs, which will have an 11% increase. This is way above the average growth rate of other careers.
[asd_program_button /]The best way to deal with people in the medical field is to use the patient-centered approach, which is a much ideal process than only focusing on the illness. Nurses perform these tasks, that’s why they are needed. NPs are more sought for than PAs for this reason.
The need for healthcare in rural areas is also increasing. NPs are the best medical professionals in these areas because establishments are impossible to build there. These professionals work hand in hand with physicans to provide medical assistance to the patients in such areas. Most NPs get hired to work for Office of Physicians, Outpatient Care Centers, and General Hospitals.
There is an increase in the demand for specialized medical care. Nurse practitioners are usually specialized in some or the other field like pediatrics, gerontology, acute care and many other things. The diagnosis of the illness is clearer and faster when the disease is specialized by the practitioner.
Nurses are also in demand in the field of education. Medical schools have a shortage of teachers for nurses and medical professionals. A Ph.D. title is needed before a nurse practitioner becomes a teacher in the field. People generally go into consulting or teaching after a certain age. This choice is made by NPs who feel that the regular work in the medical field has already worn them.
Financially speaking, the future for nurse practitioners is quite bright too. Because of the need for nurse practitioners, a 19% salary raise in 2020 may be given. A salary of $85,000 may be earned by those who are in teaching. A high salary as amounting to $175,000 could easily be achieved after a year when you have skills and experience. The salary increase depends on the nurse practitioner’s specialization. Those specializing as nurse anesthetists may receive a salary between $150,000 to $235,000.
The state you live in has a say on the job standpoint and salary of each career. For more statistics and data on the job outlook of NPs, you can visit Bureau of Labor Statistics. This career is not only very competitive but also have huge prospects.
How To Become A Nurse Practioner In Northfield
Registered Nurse
The first step is to become a registered nurse. Earning a bachelor’s or an associate’s degree is needed to become one. Another requirement is your diploma. Although, some papers may not be useful because medical experience weighs more. Experience during the bachelor’s or an associate’s degree internship contributes to this requirement. After this, you must take a standardized national test and then get the license to practice as an RN. Another option is to become a Licensed Practical Nurse first.
[asd_program_button /]Bachelor’s Degree
It is also recommended that one completes his/her Bachelor’s Degree. This is mostly for people who had earlier applied for a diploma or an associate’s degree. A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is required. During this period, the concepts learned will also be applied and put into actions during clinic duties. One’s experience in the field contributes a lot to the career of a medical professional. You may be a bachelor’s degree holder already and going for a Registered Nurse career at the same time. RN-BSN offers bridge programs to help you in this case. The time duration of these programs varies. The duration is longer when you are also studying while working. There are also bridge courses from LPN-BSN.
Years of Practice
As mentioned before, being experienced is key to getting into of the careers in the medical field. To become an NP, the best course may be to earn a master’s degree after your bachelor’s degree. However, many people already in the profession feel that this leaves you inadequately trained for the situations that you might face in life. Thus, they recommend you go through some training before applying for a graduate degree since some of the NP training programs also require you to have some prior experience. During the training, you will learn how to work effectively as an individual and with other professionals, how to ensure the welfare of various patients and treat the infections they may have.
Getting Your Master’s Degree
A requisite of becoming a Nurse Practitioner is one’s Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. Lots of programs only need the RN’s diploma or an associate’s degree as a requirement. Other programs require the students to have a bachelor’s degree. Both kinds will train you inside the classroom and in the field. Students are often required to get a lot of work experience as an RN while they are learning to be an NP. Another option will be to take the course of becoming a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).
[asd_program_search_bar /]Earning A Ph.D. Title
After earning a master’s degree, one has freedom to choose a specialization for his/her Ph.D. This will improve your credibility as a medical professional and improve your chances to earn a bit more. Specialization in family care, gerontology or health systems are good options.
State License and Other Documents
The state license is a requirement for those who want to be an NP. Requirements for licensing may vary in every state. Some only accept those whose bachelor degrees fall under their list of accepted programs. To become a nurse practitioner, it is important for every candidate to have a valid RN license, a master’s degree in nursing and to pass the state licensure exam. Licensure exams are in line with your specialization. For example, you can apply at the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board or any other institution which is a subsidiary of American Nurses Association.
In general, you will need an associate degree or a diploma to become a registered nurse. A bachelor’s degree should follow wherein you will be trained in the field. Then, you choose the best specialization and earn your license after finishing your master’s degree.
What is the Work of A Northfield Nurse Practitioner?
Works in general
Physicians and other medical professionals of the same level supervise nurse practitioners. They can diagnose and treat patients like a primary healthcare provider. They can also order certain tests and medical procedures to be conducted. They interpret these results and consult with the patient. During surgery, they could assist as a surgeon or as an anesthetist. They could also handle high risk surgeries.
[asd_program_button /]Nurse practitioners take a patient centered approach to treatment. Treating their patients involve their patient’s needs as a big factor. They value prevention over treatment, which is why they advise their patients to start taking precautions. This means that part of the NPs job is to discuss prevention of injuries and diseases to their patients.
In general, nurse practitioners need a specialization before they take the licensure exam. There is a need for this because NPs have a specialization in the field. The following are the works most of them choose.
Family NP
These NPs take care of the whole family. Through the assistance of NPs, the whole family can avoid illnesses together, and any disease no matter how how old the patient is could be treated. Working with other physicians is also common when taking care of families.
NPs Specializing in Psychiatry
Patients who have mental issues may be handled by experts including the psychiatric nurse practitioners. Both therapy and prescription of medicine can be administered by them. However, they are not allowed to perform psychological testing. They can choose to look at the results from the testing and then work with a professional psychologist or psychiatrist to determine a treatment plan for the patient.
Working As Pediatric NP
Pediatric NPs can handle newborn babies up to 18-year old patients. The neonatal NP belongs to this specialization. People you see inside Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) caring for newborn babies work in this field. Another work of pediatric NPs is helping kids have a smooth journey through puberty. Immunizations are also part of their work.
NPs in Gerontology
Old people are the patients of those working as gerontology nurse practitioners. Illnesses are treated and prevented with the help of these practitioners by giving their patients some advice. However, since old people are more sickly, it is the expert’s job to make sure their illnesses do not reduce the quality of their lifestyles. They are also responsible for coming up with fitness plans for such people who will need it to live for an extended period.
These are just some of the specializations of a nurse practitioner. Some NPs may specialize in other fields that interest them. The earnings may be different for each specialization. One of the highest paying specializations is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). These information should now be able to help you make sound career choices.
[asd_program_prefilter_box /]