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 also called an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN). They have duties that nurses cannot do. 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
What Is The Salary of A Nurse Practitioner In Sigourney?
The average salary for a nurse practitioner is around $90,000. The NP receives higher salary than RNs, which is approximately $65,000. This is because the training of NPs are more extensive, allowing them to earn a medical practitioner title.
[asd_program_button /]Setting
The higher the demand for NPs, the higher they will be paid. For example, Hawaii is the highest paying state with an average salary of $115,000 a year. This is about 30% percent more than the national average. In Delaware, NPs could earn as much as $67,000.
Years of Experience
As far as experienced is concerned as a factor of salary, in this field, even with experience, the salary hardly increases. A 10-15% increase in the salary may be given to those who have been working in the field for more than 20 years.
Ability
An increase of salary may be given if you have more expertise in some fields. Skills in acute care and emergency room may help increase salary 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.
Promotions
Getting a specialization or a promotion may be the only way to earn higher. To do this there are several options. An option is to earn $150,000 annually by becoming a Nurse Practitioner Anesthetist. 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. 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.
Assistance
There are several benefits that an NP could gain. Among the number of assistance, health insurance, retirement plans, and paid vacations are included. 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.
Since primary medical personnel is short in numbers, the demand for mid-level medical care professionals may increase. Therefore, an increase in Nurse Practitioners salary is more likely to happen in time. As an NP you are also given more time and freedom to choose which cases to work on.
The Status of Nurse Practitioner Employment In Sigourney
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 main reason for this is the shortage of medical workers. 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%. The speed of growth is much higher than the the other careers’ growth rate.
[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.
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. Most NPs get hired to work for Office of Physicians, Outpatient Care Centers, and General Hospitals.
The need for specialized health care is also increasing. Specializations of nurses include those in pediatrics, gerontology, acute care, and other fields. 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. 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. 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.
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. Obviously, it is a career that is challenging and highly accredited, as well.
Nurse Practitioner Job Requirements In Sigourney
Becoming a Registered Nurse
One should strive to become a registered nurse first. In order to be one, get your bachelor’s or an associate’s degree from an accredited school. A diploma can work as well. Although, some papers may not be useful because medical experience weighs more. This experience is provided by an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree. 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
The next step is to earn a Bachelor’s degree. 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. Besides the comprehensive learning of medical procedures, there is also application during internship clinic rounds. This is extremely important as experience plays a key role in any medical field. You may be a bachelor’s degree holder already and going for a Registered Nurse career at the same time. Such cases can be addressed through the bride programs offered by RN-BSN. The program has different time schedules. If you have a part-time work, the period of the study may take longer. There are also bridge courses from LPN-BSN.
Period of Experience
One of the best ways to make it in the health care field is to get lots of experience. Getting a master’s degree after a bachelor’s degree might be the most efficient way of becoming an NP. However, many people already in the profession feel that this leaves you inadequately trained for the situations that you might face in life. For this reason, getting some training is advised if you are planning to get a graduate degree. This is because prior experience is a requirement in certain NP training programs. 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
Getting a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is mandatory for becoming a Nurse Practitioner. RNs having diploma or an associate’s degree are usually accepted in most programs. Students who want to be enrolled in other programs needs 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 /]Doctorate (optional)
Additionally, one can opt to get a Ph.D. in any of the specializations after the master’s degree. Reaching this far will potentially increase your earnings and also your reputation as a medical professional. 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. They publish a list of accepted programs and bachelor’s degree. 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. 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. Lastly, you will get a master’s degree in your chosen area of specialization and the license will follow.
What Does A Sigourney Nurse Practioner Do?
Works in general
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. If patients need to undergo medical tests and other proceedings, they can are also allowed to conduct them. They can handle patient consultations and also interpret test results. During surgery, they could assist as a surgeon or as an anesthetist. They could even perform risky operations.
[asd_program_button /]Nurse practitioners take a patient centered approach to treatment. 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. 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. Let us look at some of the popular choices and their job duties.
NPs Specializing in Families
These NPs take care of the whole family. They can treat people of all ages and discuss ways to prevent diseases with the family. They also provide direct care to the family in collaboration with a physician.
Psychiatric NP
One of the professionals who can handle patients with mental problems is the psychiatric nurse practitioners. Both therapy and prescription of medicine can be administered by them. They cannot interpret psychological tests, though. In this case, they can work with a professional psychologist to come up with a treatment program base on the results.
Working As Pediatric NP
As the name suggests, pediatric NPs look after kids of all ages – from newborn babies to 18-year old kids. A subspecialty is a neonatal NP. This is the work of the nurses you find in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). Pediatric NPs also help kids transition through puberty as this may be a difficult time for some. They are also responsible for immunizations.
Gerontology NP
A gerontology nurse practitioner specializes in the healthcare of old people. 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. Most patients who could only live for a certain period are kept healthy by these professionals using fitness programs.
The mentioned are only few of the specializations a nurse practitioner have. Some NPs may specialize in other fields that interest them. Different specializations may have variations in salaries. The Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) is a specialization that lets one earn one of the highest salaries. 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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