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Nurse Practitioner

Overview and Key Facts

nurse Practitioner holding hands of patient
Education
Education
Master's degree
Median Pay
Median Pay
$129,210
Job Growth
Job Growth
40.10%
(Above US Average)
Jobs in 2034
Jobs in 2034
448,800

What Do They Do?

A nurse practitioner could...

 
Practitioner in hospital high-fiving girl lpatient
Take care of kids and make them feel comfortable in a children's hospital.
male doctor having serious consultation with patient
Educate patients on treatment and medication options after diagnosis.
doctors nurses nurse Practitioners discussing patient care plan
Consult other doctors and nurse practitioners to give patients the best care.
equipment to help manage conditions, diabetes
Help patients manage chronic conditions, like diabetes or hypertension
 
Practitioner in hospital high-fiving girl lpatient male doctor having serious consultation with patient doctors nurses nurse Practitioners discussing patient care plan equipment to help manage conditions, diabetes

Overview Listen to this section

Are you interested in working in the medical field to be an advocate and care for patients? If so, a nurse practitioner may be the career for you. Nurse practitioners require less school than a doctor, but with similar jobs. Nurse practitioners diagnose and treat illness as a part of a healthcare team or by themselves. Another important piece of their job is to teach patients and their families. They help patients stay healthy and teach them how to manage diseases. Nurse practitioners can work in different types of medical facilities, from hospitals to pediatric medical offices.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smiXChYIRUU

Do You Have the Skills and Characteristics of a Nurse Practitioner?


  1. Active Listening: ?
  2. Complex Problem Solving: ?
  3. Reading Comprehension: ?
  4. Critical Thinking: ?
  5. Social Perceptiveness: ?
More skills...

Core Tasks

Think about if you'd like the typical tasks a Nurse Practitioner might do:
  • Maintain complete and detailed records of patients' health care plans and prognoses.
  • Develop treatment plans, based on scientific rationale, standards of care, and professional practice guidelines.
  • Provide patients with information needed to promote health, reduce risk factors, or prevent disease or disability.
  • Analyze and interpret patients' histories, symptoms, physical findings, or diagnostic information to develop appropriate diagnoses.
  • Diagnose or treat complex, unstable, comorbid, episodic, or emergency conditions in collaboration with other health care providers as necessary.
  • Prescribe medication dosages, routes, and frequencies, based on such patient characteristics as age and gender.
  • Diagnose or treat chronic health care problems, such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
  • Prescribe medications based on efficacy, safety, and cost as legally authorized.
  • Recommend diagnostic or therapeutic interventions with attention to safety, cost, invasiveness, simplicity, acceptability, adherence, and efficacy.
  • Detect and respond to adverse drug reactions, with special attention to vulnerable populations such as infants, children, pregnant and lactating women, or older adults.
  • Diagnose or treat acute health care problems, such as illnesses, infections, or injuries.
  • Counsel patients about drug regimens and possible side effects or interactions with other substances, such as food supplements, over-the-counter (OTC) medications, or herbal remedies.
  • Order, perform, or interpret the results of diagnostic tests, such as complete blood counts (CBCs), electrocardiograms (EKGs), and radiographs (x-rays).
  • Educate patients about self-management of acute or chronic illnesses, tailoring instructions to patients' individual circumstances.
  • Maintain current knowledge of state legal regulations for nurse practitioner practice, including reimbursement of services.
  • Consult with, or refer patients to, appropriate specialists when conditions exceed the scope of practice or expertise.
  • Recommend interventions to modify behavior associated with health risks.
  • Read current literature, talk with colleagues, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in nursing.
  • Treat or refer patients for primary care conditions, such as headaches, hypertension, urinary tract infections, upper respiratory infections, and dermatological conditions.
  • Perform routine or annual physical examinations.
  • Schedule follow-up visits to monitor patients or evaluate health or illness care.
  • Maintain departmental policies and procedures in areas such as safety and infection control.
  • Advocate for accessible health care that minimizes environmental health risks.
  • Perform primary care procedures such as suturing, splinting, administering immunizations, taking cultures, and debriding wounds.
  • Provide patients or caregivers with assistance in locating health care resources.
  • Keep abreast of regulatory processes and payer systems, such as Medicare, Medicaid, managed care, and private sources.
  • Supervise or coordinate patient care or support staff activities.

Salary & Job Openings

Median Salary (Yearly Pay)

Tap or scroll over map to see median salaries for each state
No data available for some states (white on the map)

Future Jobs

Blast-Off:

How Will Nurse Practitioner Jobs Grow by 2034?
Projected % Growth
Rapid growth
(10% or higher)
Much faster than average
(7% - 10%)
Faster than average
(5% - 7%)
About as fast as average
(3% - 5%)
Slower than average
(0% - 3%)
Decreasing
Average of all U.S. jobs (5.3%)
Nurse Practitioner jobs (40.10%)
Source: https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm

Steps to Get There: Becoming a Nurse Practitioner

High School Subjects to Study

Aim to study the yellow-shaded subjects.
Math
Algebra 1
Geometry
Algebra 2
Pre-Calculus
Calculus
Statistics
Science
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Environmental Science
Physiology
Bio-Medical / Biotech
IT &
Engineering
Computer Science
Applied Technology
Drafting & CAD Training
Core
English
Foreign Language
Business
Psychology / Sociology

Career Pathway Listen to this section

No on-the-job training. Training comes from the advanced degree programs and clinical experience needed in order to obtain certification as a nurse practitioner.

Education- Typical Degree Needed After High School Listen to this section

Degree
Post
high school credential
AA
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctoral or Professional Degree

Typical degree for an entry-level position: Master's degree ? Types of Degrees and Credentials

Nurse practitioners typically need at least a master's degree in an advanced practice nursing field. Accredited healthcare and related programs typically include classroom education and clinical experience. Courses in subjects such as advanced health assessment, pathophysiology, and pharmacology are common as well as coursework specific to the nurse practitioner role.

A nurse practitioner must have a registered nursing (RN) license before pursuing education in one of the advanced practice roles of a nurse practitioner, and a strong background in science is helpful.

Most programs prefer candidates who have a bachelor's degree in nursing. However, some schools offer bridge programs for registered nurses with an associate's degree or diploma in nursing. Graduate-level programs are also available for individuals who did not obtain a bachelor's degree in nursing but in a related health science field. These programs prepare the student for the RN licensure exam in addition to offering the nurse practitioner curriculum.

Although a master's degree is the most common form of entry-level education, nurse practitioners may choose to earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) or a Ph.D. The specific educational requirements and qualifications for each of the roles are available on professional organizations' websites.

Companies That Hire Nurse Practitioners

  • Express Healthcare Staffing
  • Kaiser Permanente
  • Dignity Health
  • UCLA Health
  • Hospital Corporation of America
  • Centura Health
  • Children's Hospital
  • Veteran's Affairs

Try it Out with an Activity or Project

STEM Activities

STEM activities are fun hands-on explorations that usually take from 10 minutes to one hour and use readily available household or classroom materials while introducing you to STEM concepts common in this career.

Science Project Ideas

Project Ideas are in-depth STEM explorations that have a strong focus on controlling variables, taking accurate measurements, and analyzing data suitable for investigating the scientific method or the engineering design process.

On the Job

Role Models

What’s a Day in the Life of a Nurse Practitioner Really Like?
I love working as a nurse practitioner. My job is interesting, challenging and fun. I work hard, but I enjoy my flexible schedule. I highly recommend a career as a nurse practitioner to anyone interested in healthcare. 
- Erin Tolbert, Nurse Practitioner
Interview with Jen Wiles, FNP-BC – Family Nurse Practitioner
Working as a Nurse Practitioner, you get to directly affect lives on a daily basis....It is a rewarding but challenging role....Taking care of these patients from their first day in the hospital to their last revealed the impact you can truly have on a person's health when you are running a tight ship and giving excellent care. 
- Jen Wiles, MSN, MBA, FNP-BC, Family Nurse Practitioner
HealthTalks - What Does a Nurse Practitioner Do?
Nurse practitioners benefit the medical practice because we offer more availability. There is a shortage for healthcare providers nationwide, especially medical doctors. ... Nurse practitioners are there to fill in that gap. 
- Abby Lara, APRN, Family Medicine, Baptist Health Hopkinsville

Nature of the Work

A nurse practitioner can work by themselves, but often works together with physicians or other medical experts. They can prescribe medications, order medical tests, and diagnose health problems. Nurse practitioners may see patients for their wellness checks. They may also help patients prevent illness and disease. They can also specialize in care for certain groups of people, such as children, pregnant women, or patients with mental health disorders.

Nurse practitioners have some of the same duties as registered nurses. These duties include gathering information about a patient's condition and taking action to manage the patient's health. However, nurse practitioners are also trained to do other tasks. They can order tests and then evaluate the results. They can refer patients to see a specialist for a certain condition. They can also diagnose and treat ailments. Nurse practitioners focus on patient-centered care. This means they try to understand a patient's concerns and lifestyle before choosing a course of action.

Some nurse practitioners also work in medical research. They may also teach their staff about new policies or procedures. Others may be asked to consult in their area of expertise.

Every day nurse practitioners communicate with their patients and patients' families. During health appointments they examine patients to detect signs of illness or injury. Nurse practitioners can perform minor procedures where the patient comes in for a procedure and goes home the same day. They must talk with patients to get a detailed health history. This helps them make care plans for the patient. The patient care plans may include ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests. Based on the results of these tests, nurse practitioners can prescribe and give medication and treatment.

Work Environment

The majority of nurse practitioners work in physicians' offices and hospitals, with some nurse practitioners working in outpatient care centers, in patients' homes or in educational services. Most nurse practitioners work full time. In physicians' offices, nurse practitioners typically work during normal business hours. In hospitals and other healthcare facilities, they may work in shifts — including nights, weekends and holidays — to provide around-the-clock patient care. Some nurse practitioners, especially those who work in critical care or those who deliver babies, also may need to be on call.

More Information

Ask Questions

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Additional Resources

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