Nurse practitioners, or NPs, are nurses who have gained a higher degree to earn a better wage and have more responsibility. If you’re a qualified registered nurse (RN) looking for a way to climb the career ladder, or you haven’t finished your studies yet, here is a quick guide to becoming a nurse practitioner.
What Does an NP Do?
NPs have many responsibilities and often do many jobs that a doctor would. To become a nurse practitioner, you must complete a doctor of nursing practice. NPs gain a master’s degree and a certificate that gives them the knowledge and confidence to do more than other nurses. This includes, but is not limited to, diagnosing health conditions, prescribing medications, taking care of their own patients, offering health advice, running diagnostic tests, and referring patients to other healthcare providers.
NPs are important for health promotion in the US, meaning they try to help their patients to prevent diseases, rather than treating them. They may do this by offering health education or counseling in their chosen healthcare setting.
Where Do NPs Work?
NPs work in a variety of healthcare settings, making this a great choice if you are ready to give up the 12 hour shifts and night shifts. Many NPs run their own clinics, working 9-5 in inpatient or outpatient clinics. As an NP, you may work in a hospital or doctors practice, as well as private practices. You can also choose to work in the emergency department, mental health wards or facilities, hospices and other long-term healthcare facilities, or even in patients’ homes.
You can specialize in many different disciplines such as pediatric, oncology, mental health, acute care, women’s health, family health, neonatal, and emergency medicine. In these specialties you may even want to use your knowledge to specialize further, for example in cardiac, respiratory health, or holistic care.
What Qualities Do You Need?
If you want to become an NP, there are certain qualities you will need to get far in the role. The most important qualities for any nurse, including NPs, is care and compassion. As you will be looking after your own patients, you must be able to build a caring and trusting professional relationship. Your patients will come to you for support and advice and are much more likely to open up and feel at ease if you can practice care and compassion on a regular basis. This also means staying non-judgmental and not bringing personal opinions into your nursing practice.
Communication skills is another must, as you must be able to relay important health information to patients in a way that they understand. If you choose to become a family nurse practitioner, this also means being able to communicate with people of all ages, including children and the elderly. NPs often work alone in their chosen healthcare setting, meaning you must have confidence in yourself and your abilities as a nurse. If you aren’t there yet, it may be worth gaining more experience in nursing before applying to become an NP.
NPs, like all nurses, must be able to work under pressure and remain calm in any situation. This is especially the case for NPs as they may be the only healthcare professional in the vicinity if an emergency arises. To study for an advanced nursing degree such as this, you will also need to be self-motivated. Studying and working can be a lot of hard work and, if you want the best from your career, you need to put the hours and effort in to show it. There is a lot to learn when becoming a nurse practitioner, as you will be responsible for diagnosing and understanding a myriad of health conditions.
How Do I Become an NP?
To become an NP, you first need to be registered as a nurse. Once you have this degree, you should get some valuable experience working, so you can begin to understand health conditions and build up your own confidence. Every nurse is different and some nurses want to advance their careers quicker than others. While confidence is an essential part of becoming an NP, bear in mind that you will learn everything you need to on the NP course, meaning you will be ready to diagnose health conditions by the time you qualify.
If you have a bachelors and the appropriate experience in the area you want to work and specialize in as an NP, you are ready to apply. You can become an NP through a master’s program, or by taking a doctor of nursing practice, known as a DNP. A DNP does take longer, but it also offers a lot more knowledge and skills for when you qualify. When looking at what course you want to take, consider whether you want to study at a local university, or online.
Baylor University’s online DNP FNP is an online degree aimed at nurses who want to become a family nurse practitioner. When looking at applying, check the course requirements to make sure you fit the bill. You will often need at least one years’ experience as a nurse, but the more experience you have, the better. You will also need a letter of recommendation and your own personal statement. If you need help writing a personal statement, check out this guide.
The Benefits of Becoming an NP
Not only are NPs well sought-after, but becoming an NP can advance your nursing career to new heights. This comes with more responsibilities and the chance to earn the highest degree you can, with more knowledge and experience. Being able to care for your own patients is rewarding and comes with a better salary too. NPs can work in a variety of settings, meaning you can choose an NP role that works around you and your family, especially if you want to cut down on long shifts.
A nurse practitioner degree is the highest degree that a nurse can earn and this takes a lot of years of work and study to achieve. This guide can help you in becoming a nurse practitioner.
