Reasons To Consider Becoming A Nurse Practitioner

Our healthcare system is becoming more complex, and nurse leadership is essential to ensuring patients achieve the best health outcomes. It is possible to promote healthy work environments, strengthen employee retention, and improve patient care when nurses lead effectively. A nurse practitioner (NP) is an excellent path to promoting this leadership. NPs can play a valuable role in mentoring future generations of nurses besides shaping healthcare facilities’ care delivery strategies.

As of 2021, over 325,000 nurse practitioners were licensed to practice in the United States. If you were interested in becoming a nurse practitioner, you might have asked yourself what drives people to become one. Therefore, this post will cater to your worries. Here’re the reasons you should consider this career.

Exceptional Job Growth

Currently, nurse practitioners are also experiencing a lot of growth. There’s a 2029 projection that nurse practitioners, midwives, and anesthetists will experience a 45% increase in employment. By that time, it will probably create over 110,000 new jobs.

The reasons for this growth are many. First, the population is aging. It will be necessary to provide not only acute care but also chronic care for this population. Researchers expect that job growth will pronounce in metropolitan areas, though it will occur all over the country. Despite this, the demand for Family Nurse practitioners should increase in rural areas.

It’s Now Easier to Get Credentials

In today’s world, you have many options for keeping a job while studying if employed. Getting your NP degree online is one option. For several reasons, this is an excellent option for professionals. A significant advantage of an online program is that you can study at your own pace. Students are not uncommon to take classes in the evenings or on weekends. Additionally, there are online study resources where you can download study documents like these medical exam questions to help you with your studies. You have more flexibility with both options.

Online study has also evolved over the years, and you can work with various local facilities to achieve the right mix of theoretical and clinical work. As a nurse practitioner, you will possess the same skills. You should also not assume people will not respect your online degree. They can’t know how you got it. If you want to enroll in a nursing program, look for an institution with an excellent reputation. Employers will respect your degree primarily based on this.

Specialization Consideration in a Field You Are Passionate About

NPs must specialize in a particular area of care after becoming registered. The availability of specializations is fortunately diverse. There is a lot of flexibility for nurses by focusing on areas of nursing that inspire them and match their experience in the field. Populations and work environments often determine their specializations. Working with people involves addressing similar health concerns, like age and gender, while a practice setting represents the work environment.

NPs can show expertise and hone their skills in a specific area of medicine by focusing on that area. The motivation to be successful increases for employees who are passionate and dedicated to their jobs. NPs can establish deeper relationships with their patients by focusing on a specific population.

Maximize Your Earning Potential

Researchers estimate that RNs who choose to become NPs can earn almost 44% more than they currently do. Nurse practitioners earn $123,780 annually on average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Becoming a nurse practitioner can be a worthwhile career despite the additional required education. A career in this field can be financially rewarding because of NP earning potential and the need for advanced practice nurses.

Specialization, practice setting, and location also affect an NP’s salary besides their education and training. Nursing specialties such as psychiatry-mental health, and neonatology can earn higher salaries than other specialties. Practice settings with the highest annual wages for NPs include home healthcare services, psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals, and outpatient care centers.

Conclusion

What makes nurse practitioners so appealing? The reasons are diverse, as you’ve seen here. This career path offers a competitive salary, spontaneity, and the opportunity to impact others’ lives positively.

Nurse practitioners have much more to offer than just their jobs. It is a lifestyle and a daily commitment. You will change the lives of those in your community and around the globe with dedication, compassion, and intensive education and training.