The health-care industry is house to some of the brightest minds across the world who work hard to improve and add value to the lives of millions of people globally. The work is satisfying and also financially stabilizes an individual’s life. To manage the patients with special needs, nurse practitioners are employed who are trained in specific specializations and have expertise in that field. Let’s find out more about this job.
There is a wide range of medical jobs present in the health care industry. One of such career opportunities is that of a Nurse Practitioner, usually called an NP. There are various levels of nursing professionals viz. Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), Registered Nurses (RNs), and Nurse Practitioners (NPs). All of these jobs are among the best paying jobs in the industry and also offer satisfying experiences and immense job security.
Who is a Nurse Practitioner?
A medical nurse who works at the highest level in the nursing hierarchy is a nurse practitioner. A notable aspect of this job is specializing in an area such as women’s health, adult care, pediatrics, gerontology, oncology, and many others. An NP is one who has received a certification of being a registered nurse and license from nursing boards instead of medical boards.
Requirements
The first step is to successfully complete an associates degree, which would prepare you to take up challenges in an entry-level job. This degree of 70 semester hour’s duration would make you eligible to apply for a license as a RN. Those who are determined to enter a career as a nursing practitioner can directly enroll for a bachelor’s degree program.
The next step would be to obtain a license by appearing for the National Council Licensure Examination. Ensure that you check with your state’s medical authorities for any variations in the requirements. You will have to enroll in a bachelor’s degree program in nursing which will include subjects like psychiatric nursing, mental health, pharmacology, and subjects similar to health and wellbeing.
Once you have a bachelors, you would have to concentrate on the master’s degree with a specialization. After you complete this program, you can then move on to obtain the board certification from professional associations such as ACNM Certification Council (ACC), American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).
Job Description
The job description of an NP is not much different from that of an RN. She is responsible for getting a detailed record of the medical history of patients, diagnosing diseases and illnesses by carrying out medical check-ups, and prescribing medicines and treatments accordingly. Much of their duties depend on the field of specialization. Generally, an NP has to take care of the patients in all possible ways―counseling patients, their relatives, proper hygiene, healthy eating habits, home care. Be it becoming a doctor or an NP, the educational requirements have to be specific as it is important to have the correct knowledge especially when the health and lives of people are at stake.
Let’s discuss the financial benefits in this job role.
Salary Range
| Years of Experience | Median Salary Scale |
| 0 to One Year | $60,500 to $79,500 |
| One to Four Years | $67,000 to $83,000 |
| Five to Nine Years | $72,000 to $89,000 |
| 10 to 19 Years | $73,000 to $94,000 |
| Over 20 Years | $73,000 to $94,000 |
| State of Employment | Median Salary Scale |
| New York | $72,000 to $94,500 |
| California | $73,500 to $98,000 |
| Texas | $69,000 to $86,000 |
| Illinois | $69,500 to $85,000 |
| Ohio | $68,500 to $81,000 |
| City of Employment | Median Salary Scale |
| New York City | $77,500 to $101,000 |
| Boston | $71,000 to $100,000 |
| Cleveland | $68,000 to $86,000 |
| Chicago | $62,000 to $88,000 |
| Philadelphia | $72,000 to $89,500 |
Those thinking of becoming a nurse practitioner and have a previous degree in biology must know that a nursing degree is a mandate to be eligible for this job. To excel further in your career, you can continue your education to become a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (Ph.D. in Nursing so that you are promoted to also handle the more cases and also work with other important doctors who are in-charge of cases serious and important.