Your Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Nurse Practitioner
Nurse practitioners (NPs) are some of the highest-paid nurses out there, and they’re super in demand! They take on a lot of the same responsibilities as doctors and can handle most patients' healthcare needs, depending on where they work.
Curious about how to become an NP? Let’s see what you’ll need!
What is a Nurse Practitioner?
Nurse practitioners (NPs) do a lot of the same things as doctors and have more responsibilities than registered nurses (RNs). They assess, diagnose, and treat patients in various settings like hospitals, nursing homes, doctor’s offices, and community health centers.
Depending on the state, NPs can work independently and may need to team up with a physician to practice or prescribe medications. This teamwork is outlined in a collaborative agreement, which details what the NP can do.
NPs have advanced training in specialty areas like adult gerontology, family practice, neonatal care, pediatrics, psychiatric health, and women’s health.
If you’re an RN looking to level up your career, becoming a nurse practitioner is a great option! It can open up new opportunities and boost your earning potential. While it takes an extra 2-3 years of schooling after your bachelor’s degree to become an NP, pursuing a doctorate will add another 3-5 years.
Steps to Becoming a Nurse Practitioner
To become a nurse practitioner, you need a master’s degree, an active RN and NP license, and board certification in your specialty. Most employers also want NPs to have basic life support certification, and some may require advanced cardiac life support credentials. It’s all about being prepared to provide the best care possible!
Earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree (BSN) Degree
Ready to start your journey to becoming a nurse practitioner? First up, you gotta get that Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree! This four-year program covers all the basics - general education, nursing classes, and hands-on practice in a clinical setting. If you already have an associate degree in nursing (ADN) and an RN license, you can take a faster route by enrolling in an RN-to-BSN bridge program to earn your BSN. And if you've got a bachelor's degree in something other than nursing, accelerated BSN programs are the way to go!
Pass the NCLEX-RN Exam
To become a registered nurse (RN), you’ll need to pass the National Council Licensure Examination for RNs (NCLEX-RN). This adaptive, computerized test has between 75 and 145 questions that adjust based on how you're doing. It checks your clinical knowledge in four main areas: safe and effective care, health promotion, psychosocial integrity, and physiological integrity. So, get ready to show what you know and ensure you're ready to provide great patient care!
Gain Nursing Experience
Most graduate programs want you to have 1-2 years of patient-centered nursing experience before you can enroll. Exploring different clinical settings helps you figure out what interests you most, which can guide you in choosing your primary specialty and where you want to work.
Picking a role that excites you will give you hands-on experience to develop your clinical skills and judgment. For instance, if you’re aiming to become a pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP), working in a pediatric unit is a great way to start!
Enroll in a Nursing Graduate Program
After gaining some nursing experience, it's time to explore NP programs that match your specialty. To apply, you'll typically need a BSN, RN license, transcripts, personal essays, and recommendation letters. By 2025, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) will be the new standard, enhancing your career prospects. MSN programs take 1-2 years, while DNPs can take 3-6 years.
Earn Specialty Certification and NP Licensure
To practice as a nurse practitioner (NP), you need to get licensed in your state. While the requirements can vary, all states require you to have an advanced nursing degree and pass a national board certification exam in your specialty, like family nurse practitioner (FNP), pediatrics, or women’s health.
These tough exams, given by accredited organizations, test your advanced nursing skills and knowledge of specific patient populations. You can only register for exams in the areas where you earned your degree.
Find Employment
To land a nurse practitioner (NP) job, your clinical experience and well-crafted professional resume are key. Networking, job search skills, and interview techniques also play a big role. Joining professional organizations can help you find open positions.
Start your search on traditional job boards and healthcare organization websites. Job fairs, agency recruiters, and networking sites like LinkedIn are great resources to discover opportunities.
While NPs focus on patient care like RNs, they also diagnose, perform procedures, order tests, and prescribe medications.
Popular Nurse Practitioner Courses
Advanced Pathophysiology
This course provides an in-depth understanding of physiological processes and alterations in function that underlie diseases across the lifespan.
Advanced Health Assessment
Students learn comprehensive physical and psychosocial assessment skills to identify health problems and promote wellness in diverse populations.
Advanced Pharmacology
Focuses on the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacotherapeutics of drugs used to treat acute and chronic health problems across the lifespan.
Primary Care of Adults
Prepares students to provide primary care to adults, including health promotion, disease prevention, and management of common acute and chronic conditions.
Primary Care of Children and Adolescents
Covers well-child care, disease prevention, health promotion, and management of common pediatric health problems from birth through adolescence.
Working as a Nurse Practitioner
Hospitals
Hospitals are one of the most common workplaces for NPs. They offer a variety of specialties and allow you to work with diverse patient populations.
Private Practices
Many NPs work in private medical offices, providing primary care and building long-term relationships with patients in a more personal setting.
Clinics
Community health clinics and urgent care centers are great options for NPs, offering opportunities to treat a wide range of health issues.
Nursing Homes
Working in nursing homes allows NPs to provide essential care for elderly patients, focusing on their unique health needs and improving their quality of life.
Telehealth Services
With the rise of telehealth, many NPs now provide care remotely, making it easier to reach patients and offering flexible work options.
