We should determine the actual job before making a career option. 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. 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 Does A Nurse Practitioner Make In Winthrop?
A nurse practicioner earns $90,000 on average. RNs receive $65,000 on average, which means they earn less than NPs. 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 /]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.
Experience
As far as experienced is concerned as a factor of salary, in this field, even with experience, the salary hardly increases. After 20 years of working, the salary may increase 10-15%.
Expertise
An increase of salary may be given if you have more expertise in some fields. 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. Those who earn somewhere in between are mostly geriatrics and internal medicine practitioners.
Promotions
The only real way to increase your salary in this line of work is to get promoted or get specialized. There are a few processes you can follow to achieve this. You can try to become a Nurse Practitioner Anesthetist who can earn about $150,000 a year. You could also try to become an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner to earn a bit more than a normal NP. Other options include being 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.
Incentives
There are several benefits that an NP could gain. Some of the few are retirement plans, paid vacations, and health insurance. Employees who want to enhance their skills through schooling can gain financial support from their company. 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. There is a high possibility that Nurse Practitioners will receive higher salaries later on. As an NP you are also given more time and freedom to choose which cases to work on.
Job Prospects of Winthrop 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. This means that about 57,000 new jobs will come up in that period. This is primarily due to the lack of healthcare professionals. Doctors and physicians cannot meet the demands of the people. The need for PAs and NPs will keep on increasing in the future. 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 /]Another reason for the increasing demand of nurses is because they take a patient-centered approach rather than a disease-centered one. Thus, patients sometimes prefer NPs to PAs.
There is a growing demand for medical care in rural areas. NPs are the best medical professionals in these areas because establishments are impossible to build there. 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.
Specialized health care demands are rapidly increasing. Nurse practitioners are usually specialized in some or the other field like pediatrics, gerontology, acute care and many other things. 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. 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. 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. Because of the need for nurse practitioners, a 19% salary raise in 2020 may be given. In the field of teaching, nurse practitioners may get as much as $85,000. If you have been exposed to many medical specialization, your salary could increase to $175,000 within a year. The salary of a specialized nurse practitioner depends on the specialization. A nurse anesthetist earns about $150,000 and this can go up 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. As you can see, this is a highly competitive job with great prospects.
How To Become A Nurse Practioner In Winthrop
Registered Nurse
First, one needs to become a registered nurse. Earning a bachelor’s or an associate’s degree is needed to become one. A diploma can work as well. However, the skill acquired during internship or work experience are more important. You can get this experience through 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. Becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse first is another way to achieve your goals.
[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. 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. It is essential work because there is always a need for experience. There are people who are Registered Nurses, while also professionals in other fields. In such cases, there are bridge programs from RN-BSN. The program has different time schedules. The duration is longer when you are also studying while working. LPN-BSN also offers bridge courses.
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. Some nurses who have been working for a long time feel that this process is somehow lacking when it comes to real life applications. 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.
Master’s Degree
A requisite of becoming a Nurse Practitioner is one’s Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. RNs having diploma or an associate’s degree are usually accepted in most programs. 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. 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
Additionally, one can opt to get a Ph.D. in any of the specializations after the master’s degree. 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.
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. Passing the state licensure exam, RN license, and a master’s degree are the requirements in becoming a nurse practitioner. The licensure exam differs depending on the specialization you are choosing. The American Nurses Association has ancillary branches and you can submit your application in any of them like the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board.
In general, you will need an associate 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. Finally, you acquire a master’s degree following which you get licensed after applying for the appropriate program.
What Work Is Done by A Winthrop Nurse Practitioner?
General Work
Physicians and other medical professionals of the same level supervise nurse practitioners. 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. After the results are out, they can interpret and discuss them with the patient. Sometimes, they are also allowed to assist a physician in surgery whether as the surgeon or an anesthetist. Some high-risk cases are also handled by them.
[asd_program_button /]Nurse practitioners work with the patient-centered method. 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. Let us look at some of the popular choices and their job duties.
Family NP
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. 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. They can practice as therapists and sometimes prescribe appropriate medicine. They cannot interpret psychological tests, though. He or she could design a treatment plan for the patient along with a professional psychologist’s help.
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. These people look after infants and work at 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. They help by recommending the ideal activities and treatments to address existing illnesses and prevent them from worsening. Old people are more prone to different diseases. These healthcare experts will help reduce the risks of other diseases. 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. Some NPs may specialize in other fields that interest them. The earnings may be different for each specialization. The Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetis (CRNA) is included in the list of highest paid specializations . After learning these work descriptions for your future career, you may now be able to choose the ideal path for you.
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