Nurse Practitioner (NP) Training & Courses

1) What Is a Nurse Practitioner Degree?

A nurse practitioner (NP) is a registered nurse with advanced training who holds a higher education degree. A nursing practitioner degree is considered one of the four advanced practices of nursing specialty degrees. A person who holds a nurse practitioner degree may act as a primary and/or specialty care provider and is often dedicated to the notion of individualized care, including preventative care. Degree holders also have a broader scope of practice than an RN and have the ability to legally prescribe medications to patients. Additionally, a nurse practitioner is trained to give emotional support to the families and friends of the patients in order to fully complete the idea of comprehensive and inclusive care.

2) Nurse Practitioner Programs and Courses

The first step to becoming a NP is to earn a bachelor's of science degree in nursing (BSN). These programs typically take about 4 years to complete. There are several nursing programs offered online. Online education programs are becoming increasingly popular and many online universities offer nursing students accredited programs with flexibility and convenience.

Beyond a BSN, a nurse practitioner traditionally needs to earn a minimum of a master's degree (2-4 year program), but in many cases a doctoral degree. Both the doctoral and master's degree programs incorporate both coursework and field training. Sample general course titles for a nurse practitioner may include: advanced health assessment, advanced nursing research, health care policy, theoretical foundations, and clinical pharmacology.

A NP typically chooses a specialty area in which he or she practices and begins a distinctive nursing program that is specific to his/her area of concentration. The specific courses within a program are dependent upon the specialization. Below are a list of common specialty areas and programs for Nurse Practitioners and their descriptions.

• Adult Practice. Diagnose and treat illnesses that are specific to adults
• Women's Health/midwifery. Concentrate on reproductive and gynecologic health care
• Pediatrics. Provide care to infants, children and adolescents through physical exams, treatment and diagnosis of illnesses, and administer immunizations
• Acute Care. Specialize in short-term, severe illnesses
• Geriatric Health. Provide care to the elderly, typically with chronic illnesses
• Mental Health. Work with individuals who have psychiatric illnesses or disorders

3) Nurse Practitioners Career Trends

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the entire health care industry is one of the largest and fastest growing industries in the country. Registered nursing remains an employment stalwart. In fact, the BLS expects the employment of registered nurses to see solid growth between 2006 and 2016.

As one of the advanced practice nursing specialties, a nurse practitioner is in higher demand than nurses who hold only a bachelor's degree. Because a practitioner can also serve as a lower-cost primary care provider, many medically under-served places, such as inner cities or rural areas, choose a NP for the majority of their medical needs.

4) Nurse Practitioner Salary Information

Like most careers, a nurse practitioner's salary can vary and is dependent on many factors including experience, education, where you practice, and specialty. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, registered nurses--including nurse practitioners--earned a median salary of $62,450 in 2008. After a few years in practice, up to four years of experience, a nurse practitioner's salary can increase to a range between $76,000 and $92,000.

As a general rule, NPs who work in a hospital setting tend to make more money than those who work in private practices or a school setting.

5) Nurse Practitioner Career Skills

If you are considering a career as a nurse practitioner, there are several skills successful professionals in the field posses. If you are deciding if the path of a nurse practitioner is the right one for you, ask yourself the questions below.

• Are you able to stay calm in high-stress situations?
• Do you view yourself as a strong, articulate communicator?
• Do you possess leadership skills, but also have the capability to work closely with others as a team?
• Are you caring and sympathetic towards others?
• Are you able to pay close attention to details, but also able to see the bigger picture of a situation?
• Do family and friends commonly refer to you as their emotional support?

If you answer yes to most of these questions, you may have what it takes to flourish in the field as a nurse practitioner.

6) Nurse Practitioner Licensure

In all states, students must complete an approved nursing program from a nursing school before they are able to practice nursing. Upon completion of the necessary education, a NP is required by the State Board of Nursing to be licensed in the state where they plan to practice. They must pass a national licensing examination, known as the NCLEX-RN, in order to obtain a nursing license.

Many states have implemented the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). The NLC is a model of nurse licensure that allows an RN to have a license in one state and to practice in other states if both places have implemented the mutual recognition model. As of October 2009, the following states participate in the NLC: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

7) Nurse Practitioner Certification after Nursing School

Once you obtain your license to practice, you can apply for certification from a national nursing board. For an advanced nursing specialty such as nurse practitioner, certification is often required in many states. Certification is offered by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners to graduates of approved master's, post-master's, and doctoral levels of three nursing specialty programs: adult, family, and geriatric nursing.

The process includes a competency-based examination that reflects the NP's professional knowledge of one of the three specific nursing specialties. Nurse Practitioners of other specialties may petition the Academy for the right to sit for the tests. There are also other nursing boards where a NP may apply for national certification including National Certification Board of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and Nurses and National Certification Corporation for the Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing Specialties.

Get started on the path to a rewarding career as a nurse practitioner today.