While choosing a career, it is imperative that we know the exact 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). This means that they can perform a range of specialized activities that a nurse can’t. NPs have different work depending on the field they specialize on. 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 Salary Does A Nurse Practitioner Get In Castle Rock?
The average salary for a nurse practitioner is around $90,000. Compared to a registered nurse this is quite high since an RN gets something around $65,000. This is because the training of NPs are more extensive, allowing them to earn a medical practitioner title.
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NPs receive higher salaries if they are badly needed in the area. For instance, Hawaii pays $115,000 annually to NPs, which makes them the highest paying state. Compared to the average earnings of NPs in the rest of the country, they earn 30% more. In Delaware, NPs could earn as much as $67,000.
Length of Practice
Experience is not too much of a factor for salary increase in the field. A 10-15% increase in the salary may be given to those who have been working in the field for more than 20 years.
Expertise
A range of skills can increase your potential to earn a lot more. An approximate salary of $99,000 could be given to those with skills in acute care and emergency room skills. The professional may earn up to $92,000 for specializing in family care. The skills of geriatrics and internal medicine both fall somewhere in between these two.
Promotions
Getting a specialization or a promotion may be the only way to earn higher. To do this there are several options. A Nurse Practitioner Anesthetist earns $150,000 annually, which is one option. The Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner also earns more than the normal NP. Becoming a Family, Pediatric NP, Psychiatrist NP, or an Adult NP are the top options, as well. After this, of course, there are further specializations that can help you a bit more cash if needed. 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. If there are conventions or seminars, they are given registration fees and some allowances.
Because of this shortage for main medical practitioners, many aspiring health care professionals would most likely work in the field. There is a high possibility that Nurse Practitioners will receive higher salaries later on. There are also more time for NPs to choose the type of cases they wish to do.
Job Prospects of Castle Rock Nurse Practitioners
The United States of America needed 170,000 nurse practitioners in 2014. According to BLS, the industry is expected to grow by 31% over the next decade. During that time, as much as 57,000 jobs will be available. The lack of medical professionals caused this. The need for doctors and physicians cannot be catered by the number of medical professionals. This means that PAs and NPs will continue to be needed for a long time. 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. Compared to other jobs, this increase in growth is faster.
[asd_program_button /]The need for nurses is growing because their techniques in work are focused on the needs of the patient instead of the disease. Thus, patients sometimes prefer NPs to PAs.
The need for healthcare in rural areas is also increasing. It is not possible to set up the infrastructure in such areas and thus NPs are the source of primary health care. These professionals work hand in hand with physicans to provide medical assistance to the patients in such areas. The biggest employers of NPs are Office of Physicians, Outpatient Care Centers, and General Hospitals.
There is an increase in the demand for specialized medical care. Specializations of nurses include those in pediatrics, gerontology, acute care, and other fields. This means that they can give a more accurate diagnosis of the patient’s problem if it falls in their area of specialty.
The educational field is also in need of nurses. Medical schools have a shortage of teachers for nurses and medical professionals. So, if a nurse practitioner gets a Ph.D. he or she would be authorized to teach as an academic. People generally go into consulting or teaching after a certain age. NPs who do not have the strength to carry on the usual work may opt for this.
There is a brighter future for nurse practitioners in terms of earnings. In 2020, the 19% salary increase is most likely provided to nurse practitioners. As for an academic, the average salary starting out is about $85,000. This can go up to $175,000 a year easily with experience. The specialization of a nurse determines the amount of salary he or she earns. The earnings of a nurse anesthetist could range from $150,000 to $235,000.
Each career’s status and salary rate may differ in each state. Those who want to know the data statistics of NP employment could visit Bureau of Labor Statistics. As you can see, this is a highly competitive job with great prospects.
Career Requirements For Nurse Practitioners In Castle Rock
Registered Nurse
One should strive to become a registered nurse first. 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. You could also try to take a different path and become a Licensed Practical Nurse first.
[asd_program_button /]Earning Bachelor’s Degree
Earning a bachelor’s degree is the next thing to do. This is mostly for people who had earlier applied for a diploma or an associate’s degree. The course Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) needs to be completed. This will not only give you a more in-depth education in the medical world, but it will make you undergo a lot of clinical rounds. 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. It will take more time if you are working while you are studying. LPN-BSN also offers bridge courses.
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. The training you will receive may enable you to dealwith patients effectively, treat ailments, work with other professionals, and do the tasks efficiently.
Master’s Degree
To become a Nurse Practitioner, one needs to earn a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. RNs having diploma or an associate’s degree are usually accepted in most programs. Other programs require the students to have a bachelor’s degree. It doesn’t matter which one you go for, you will be trained for knowledge and application in real settings. While studying to earn the NP title, RNs mostly need to undergo long hours of training. You might also try to get a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree as an alternative.
[asd_program_search_bar /]Getting A Doctorate (optional)
Additionally, one can opt to get a Ph.D. in any of the specializations after the master’s degree. In this way, you can have more reputation in the field and you may have higher salary. Specialization in family care, gerontology or health systems are good options.
Credentials and State License
The state license is a requirement for those who want to be an NP. Each state has a different list of licensing requirements. Others have a set of bachelor’s degree and programs they accept. 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.
To revise, you first need to get an associate’s degree or a diploma to become a registered nurse. Then, you need to earn a bachelor’s degree, which will expose you to real life medical situations. Lastly, you will get a master’s degree in your chosen area of specialization and the license will follow.
What Does A Castle Rock Nurse Practioner Do?
General duties
The nurse practitioner cooperate with a physician or other professionals of the same range. They can diagnose and treat patients like a primary healthcare provider. They can also order certain tests and medical procedures to be conducted. After the results are out, they can interpret and discuss them with the patient. They are also authorized to help as a surgeon as an anesthetist when needed in an operation. They could even perform risky operations.
[asd_program_button /]Nurse practitioners work with the patient-centered method. Their patient’s needs are more important to be able to treat them effectively. They want to prevent the disease rather than cure it and thus advise the patient to take the necessary steps to do so. This means that part of the NPs job is to discuss prevention of injuries and diseases to their patients.
Before the licensure exam, a nurse practitioner is generally required to complete a specialization program. There are specific duties by NPs on the field, which is why they need this. The following are the works most of them choose.
Family NP
NPs on this field consult with whole families. They can deal with patients of every age and help avoid illnesses within the family. Families can receive high quality health care because the practitioner works with a physician.
Working as Psychiatric NP
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.
Pediatric NP
Newborn to 18 year old patients are handled by pediatric NPs. The neonatal NP belongs to this specialization. This is the work of the nurses you find in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). Kids can have a smoother puberty process through the help of pediatric NPs. They are also the ones who give immunizations and vaccines to children.
NPs in Gerontology
Old people are the patients of those working as gerontology nurse practitioners. They help by recommending the ideal activities and treatments to address existing illnesses and prevent them from worsening. Since old age is often the onset of many diseases, it is their responsibility to look after the old people and reduce the progress of such diseases as much as possible. They are also responsible for coming up with fitness plans for such people who will need it to live for an extended period.
The abovementioned things are just some good examples of a nurse practicioner’s specialties. There are several others that an NP might try to get into according to his or her own interests. The earnings may be different for each specialization. One of the highest paying specializations is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). Now that you know the different roles that your job may entail, you can make an informed decision about your career choice.
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