Doctors aren't the only ones who can hang up a shingle and set up an office. With the economy being the way it is, one of the fastest growing aspects of the medical field is a nurse practitioner. True, there are therapies and treatments that only an MD can perform, but these advanced registered nurses have the ability to do many of the things a physician can do, at considerably less cost. Starting with a degree from a nursing school college, this field is wide open for those who are interested in health care.
Nurse practitioners are a relatively new career, the origins of which took root after World War II when it was felt the world was going to run into a shortage of doctors. It was felt the practitioner could take care of many of the more common ailments, from the flu to broken bones, leaving the general practitioner free to concentrate on more critical illnesses. A lot of the vagueness of the profession is probably due to it still being so young. If you need more information about
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Nurse practitioners are like registered nurses. Like their registered counterparts, their responsibilities include diagnosing, informing and treating patients. On the other hand, most other types of nurses are employed in hospitals, physician offices, assisted-care facilities, and government agencies. Working with a doctor, or in their own office with nurses under them, practitioners have choices.
You must become a registered nurse before working towards the goal of nurse practitioner. Starting with a bachelors degree, then state certification and experience working as a registered nurse. One way a registered nurse can use this time productively is to consult with a human resource department. Many of these institutions employ practitioners and may even help pay for it.
From there, the most common path is to matriculate with an online college and move on towards a Masters degree. One thing a future practitioner should also check into is what their state's regulations are. Each state has its own rules and bylaws regarding what is required. Some states request a practitioner pick a specialty, such as pediatrics or gynecology, as part of their Master's curriculum. Others require a doctorate. Therefore, it's good to consult with a college career advisor before setting one's personal curriculum.
After getting one's masters, certification is still required from either the American Nurse Credentialing Center and/or the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. If a practitioner needs to specialize, certification in their specialty is also needed. There is an abundance of information about
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After all this, it's finally time to set up a shingle. While there are practitioners who will set up an office inside hospitals, especially emergency rooms, there are many who do go out on their own. Some states require they do so in association with a medical doctor or something similar, but there are others that don't. As said before, there are still a lot of gray areas in this area.
In the long run a nurse can be her own boss and that brings a lot of satisfaction, not just personally but financially. Most studies find a practitioner's annual salary is in the $80,000 to $90,000 range. That kind of money brings its own rewards.
