Consider a Career as a Nurse Practitioner

Considering a career in nursing? Browse your options

Guest article by Mari Gold You’re thinking about becoming a doctor but are put off by the many years of education and the likelihood of emerging in debt; the increasingly high cost of insurance; demanding hours. Maybe you should consider a medical career as a nurse practitioner. The demand for nurse practitioners is enormous. Nursing in general is one of the ten fastest-growing fields in the U.S, spurred by the increased emphasis on public health, the ageing of the baby boomers and the retirement of existing nurses. Most health care institutions and other settings can’t fill their slots fast enough. If you think a nurse practitioner is a glorified doctor’s assistant, think again. Today’s nurse practitioners, known as NPs, give complete physical examinations; care for people of all ages; manage chronic conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes; order and interpret X-rays and other lab tests, give immunizations and provide essential patient education. Nurse practitioners can prescribe medication in all states; in 25 states, they are no longer required to practice under the supervision of a doctor. As a nurse practitioner, you have a wide choice of work settings including hospitals, doctors’ offices, rural and inner city clinics and schools. Some NPs opt for private practice. You can specialize in pediatrics, family health, acute care, women’s health, anesthesiology, midwifery or occupational health. Some NPs are researchers, teachers or involve themselves in legislative work to improve the quality of health care. An NP is often is a patient’s primary health care provider. Many patients feel that nurse practitioners spend more time with them than doctors do. To become a nurse practitioner, you attend an undergraduate school of nursing, get a B.A. and become a licensed registered nurse. Afterwards, you might work before beginning a one or two year NP program which leads to a Master’s degree. There are programs for college graduates who are not registered nurses, although these take longer than the standard Master’s program. The average annual salary for NPs is $75,000, depending on the part of the country and the ratio of NPs to available positions for them. If becoming an NP is appealing, investigate it during high school. Besides math, take science courses including biology and chemistry. Volunteer at a hospital and tell the Human Resources staff that you are considering a nursing career. Or, volunteer at a doctor’s office or local free clinic. In any of these settings, you’ll find out quickly if you are stimulated or bothered by the atmosphere. Take stock of yourself mentally and physically. The combination of demanding courses, on-site training and homework requires stamina. Watch science programs on television. ER and House don’t portray nursing entirely realistically but, if these programs are a turn-off, being an NP may not be for you. Go online to several nursing schools and check out their requirements so you can be as prepared as possible. Read about nursing. Try to find a nurse in your community willing to mentor you and describe his or her experiences in the field.