In recent years, the fluctuating economy affected nearly every profession in the world except the healthcare industry. Irrespective of the condition of the economy, patients fell sick and had to be taken care of by doctors and trained nurses. However, the sheer shortage of doctors meant that primary care had to be handled by trained alternate staff like nurse practitioners. In 2005, medical schools capped enrollments resulting in a fewer number of doctors completing the course and entering the health care field but at the same time, the American population increased by more than 70 million people. The large percentage of elderly population who required constant care along with day-to-day care for families resulted in a shift in primary care on to nurse practitioners who could handle routine visits.
What Are Nurse Practitioners?
The concept of nurse practitioners was introduced 40 years ago to help hospitals deal with influx of patients. Basically, the term refers to graduate nurses who have completed a postgraduate or doctoral degree in a niche field of medicine and are now referred to as nurse practitioners. The shortage of physicians means that almost all primary care and simple medical conditions are now diagnosed and treated by nurse practitioners. They are also referred to as ‘physician extenders’ as they care for simple patients freeing up the doctor’s time for complicated medical cases and patient care.
How To Become A Nurse Practitioner?
If you are interested in the field of nursing, then you should opt for studies in nurse practitioner programs. Some even allow you to become a nurse practitioner online. Here is a quick update of how to become a nurse practitioner.
Education
As with any other degree, you have to start by completing your high school education or GED with basic anatomy, biochemistry, math, calculus, and physics as essential parts of your education. These courses form the basis of your education in nursing. After completing your GED, you will have to apply for college. Entry into any nursing programs is quite competitive and you have to sit for SAT or ACT exams where your test scores are very important in securing admission to nursing courses. Try to maintain a 3.0 average in college and then decide what type of nursing course you want to pursue. There are three different types of nursing programs that you can opt for:
- A diploma in nursing which can run for a year to three years
- An associate’s degree in nursing which runs for two years
- A bachelor’s degree in nursing which can prolong for four years
Can you learn how to become a nurse practitioner in an accelerated environment? It’s possible if you choose an accelerated Master’s degree where you combined one year of bachelors study with two years of graduate study. Once you have selected the course you are interested in, you can choose the college that you want to study in for NP courses. Once you have completed the basic nursing course and acquired a nursing degree, you have to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam where the student is awarded the RN degree. Nurses can opt for direct entry into the Nurse Practitioner program after passing the RN or they can work for two to three years and then continue their education. The NP program requires a basic bachelor’s degree and if you have an associates or a diploma, you might have to complete accelerated degrees to be eligible for the NP program. The NP program offers specialty training in niche fields of nursing like pediatrics, oncology, family care, cardiology, neonatology, primary care, gastroenterology and obstetrics and gynecology. You can choose the stream you are interested in and take admission into the NP course. Most NP course run to about 2-4 years in duration and nurses who pass out are awarded the Nurse Practitioner degree.
Licensure
After the student has completed the degree, they will have to take additional licensure in the state that they want to work in. Most NPs will also continue their education to become DNPs or Doctors of Nurse Practice. In fact, in the US, the DNP is going to become an essential degree for all RNs who have studied to become NPs. Continuing education in the form of conferences, research and publications will also become mandatory.
Salary and Job Outlook
According to a national survey, the average salary of a trained NP ranges from $92,468 to about $150,000 depending on the location, qualification and experience of the candidate. Salaries are also on the rise and most states have vacancies all through the year in every department to deal with the rising tide of patients. However, only the top nurse practitioner would earn at the peak of the salary range listed.
Meeting Future Needs
The creativity and enthusiasm of NPs to be considered on par as doctors has now waned. According to the US Department of Labor Statistics, the number of NPs will also increase by as much as 135,000 by 2015 and this is a tremendous advantage for patients. NPs can spend more time with patients recording their medical history, diagnosing medical conditions, prescribing medications and caring for them as compared to doctors who have to deal with more patients in a shorter period of time. Moreover, for such expert and continuing care, NPs charge much, much lower than doctors resulting in an extra financial benefit for patients with chronic conditions. Recognizing the talent pool available to them, more than 28 states in the US have now filed proposals to expand the work profile of nurse practitioners giving them the same responsibilities as doctors. In about 16 states, nurse practitioners are already allowed to work independently. By the year 2018, The US Bureau of Labor Statistics has stated that NPs will be about 2.2 million in count and they will be the primary care choice for patients. Thus, it will become increasingly important to learn how to become a nurse practitioner for the foreseeable future.