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. The job duties of an NP vary from one specialization to another. 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 Richland?
A nurse practicioner earns $90,000 on average. Compared to a registered nurse this is quite high since an RN gets something around $65,000. The reason behind this is that NPs train longer so they could be medical practitioners.
[asd_program_button /]Setting
Wherever there is a growing need of NPs, they will be paid more. For instance, Hawaii pays $115,000 annually to NPs, which makes them the highest paying state. This amount is 30% higher than the average national salary. While Delaware offers something around $67,000.
Years of Experience
Experience is not too much of a factor for salary increase in the field. It increases about 10-15% over 20 years of experience.
Expertise
Your capacity for work could contribute to your salary increase. Acute care and Emergency room skills will be something that can increase your average salary to up to $99,000. 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.
Work Promotions
Salary raise in the field could only be achieved when you get a promotion or when you earn a specialization. Achieving this may require you to do the following. A Nurse Practitioner Anesthetist earns $150,000 annually, which is one option. The Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner also earns more than the normal NP. Other alternatives are to become a Family, Pediatric NP, Psychiatrist NP, or an Adult NP. You could also increase your salary with other specializations after doing the procedures. The specific area you take may require you to spend a period of time to apply what you learned and you will receive certificates in return.
Assistance
An NP is entitled to numerous benefits. Some of the few are retirement plans, paid vacations, and health insurance. They are often reimbursed for any further studies that they may wish to undertake to improve themselves. Learning skills is a big matter, which is why they are given money and registration fees to participate in conferences that improve their abilities.
Since primary medical personnel is short in numbers, the demand for mid-level medical care professionals may increase. 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.
The Status of Nurse Practitioner Employment In Richland
In 2014, the United States of America provided 170,000 jobs to nurse practitioners. The BLS predicts an average of 31% growth in the industry within the next 10 years. This means that about 57,000 new jobs will come up in that period. This is primarily due to the lack of healthcare professionals. The need for doctors and physicians cannot be catered by the number of medical professionals. The need for PAs and NPs will keep on increasing in the future. It is estimated that the jobs for Family, Pediatric, Gastroenterology, and Hospitalist NPs will rise by about 11% whereas that of neonatal NPs will rise about 34%. 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. Thus, patients sometimes prefer NPs to PAs.
There is a growing demand for medical care in rural areas. Most of these areas are not suitable for new buildings, which means that the people could only consult with NPs. These medical practitioners may ask help from other physicians to cater to the patients in the area. NPs could apply in Office of Physicians, Outpatient Care Centers, and General Hospitals.
There is an increase in the demand for specialized medical care. Pediatrics, gerontology, acute care and other specializations are usually practiced by nurse practitioners. When the patient’s illness is within their scope of specialty, they can diagnose it more accurately.
Nurses are also in demand in the field of education. There is a lack of teachers for nurse practitioners and other medical personnel. So, if a nurse practitioner gets a Ph.D. he or she would be authorized to teach as an academic. After spending much time with work, most people go for teaching jobs. So this is the perfect option for NPs who feel that they are now not fit enough to handle the stresses that come with the medical field.
Financially speaking, the future for nurse practitioners is quite bright too. The salary of a nurse practitioner is expected to grow about 19% by 2020 because of above reasons. 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 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.
The salary and job prospects of any career also depend on the state one is residing in. 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.
Nurse Practitioner Job Requirements In Richland
How to Be A 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. However, the skill acquired during internship or work experience are more important. This experience is provided by an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree. Then, the licensure examination for nurses will take place and only then will you be called an RN if you pass the standardized national test. Another option is to become a Licensed Practical Nurse first.
[asd_program_button /]Completing Bachelor’s Degree
The next step is to earn a Bachelor’s degree. This is ideal for applicants for a diploma or an associate’s degree. A requirement is a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) diploma. 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. It is essential work because there is always a need for experience. 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 program has different time schedules. It will take more time if you are working while you are studying. There are also bridge courses from LPN-BSN.
Years of Practice
One of the best ways to make it in the health care field is to get lots of experience. To become an NP, the best course may be to earn a master’s degree after your bachelor’s degree. Some nurses who have been working for a long time feel that this process is somehow lacking when it comes to real life applications. Before earning a graduate degree, they recommend more training. Most graduate degrees require a certain amount of experience before the student could be admitted. 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.
Earning a Master’s Degree
To become a Nurse Practitioner, one needs to earn a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. Lots of programs only need the RN’s diploma or an associate’s degree as a requirement. A bachelor’s degree is needed to enroll in other programs. 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 /]Earning A Ph.D. Title
The Ph.D. title follows after the master’s degree and in this program, one can opt for the specialization that best fits him/her. This will improve your credibility as a medical professional and improve your chances to earn a bit more. Others choose family care, gerontology or health systems as their field of specialization.
State License and Other Documents
It is mandatory for an aspiring NP to get licensed by the state. Each state has a different list of licensing requirements. Others have a set of bachelor’s degree and programs they accept. Passing the state licensure exam, RN license, and a master’s degree are the requirements in becoming a nurse practitioner. Your specialization is also a big factor in the type of licensure exams you will take. The American Nurses Association has ancillary branches and you can submit your application in any of them like the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board.
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 Richland Nurse Practioner Do?
General Work
A nurse practitioner usually works under the supervision of a physician or someone of the same level. Diagnosing and treating patients are also part of their jobs. Apart from this, they could also send the patient for tests and other medical procedures. After the results are out, they can interpret and discuss them 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. This means that they focus more on the patients’ needs and wants while treating them. Most usual advises include prevention because they want to keep their patients away from diseases before they occur. Patients under NPs will receive consultation including some advices on avoiding illnesses or injuries.
A nurse practitioner is generally supposed to take up some or the other kind of specialty before taking the licensure exam. There are specific duties by NPs on the field, which is why they need this. The following are the works most of them choose.
NPs Specializing in Families
NPs on this field consult with whole families. 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. They also provide direct care to the family in collaboration with a physician.
Working as Psychiatric NP
Psychiatric nurse practitioners work with a group of people who have mental issues. They can practice as therapists and sometimes prescribe appropriate medicine. They cannot interpret psychological tests, though. 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
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.
Gerontology NP
A gerontology nurse practitioner specializes in the healthcare of old people. They educate them about disease prevention and manage any illnesses they might have. 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. Each of these specializations offers a different amount of salary. 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.
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