How Long Do Nurse Practitioners Go To School? Want to be a nurse practitioner? What about the time you must take to be a nurse practitioner?
Normally the schooling period extends to 9 years. The person who wants to be a nurse practitioner must secure a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. This degree must of four years. You must take a master’s degree to be a nurse practitioner.
While completing the degree may take three to four years as there are additional clinical work skills. A career is one of the most important aspects of our life.
We know it is important to choose a specific field. The quote “Jack of all trades is the master of none” is rightly making an impression that one precise discipline is better than many fields.
Many people in the world look to make the aim of their life. People want to be engineers, doctors, nurses, business, nurse practitioners, and sportsmen.
Choosing a career in the early days of life makes it easy for us to pursue our ambition. Some individuals are quite keen to be in the medical field to serve humanity.
Their intent is pretty clear. As doctors, nurses, and paramedical staff, they look to pay for their services. We can easily do this if we choose one of these professions related to the medical field. Nurse practitioners nowadays play an important role in providing medical services.
Across the globe, many people tend to be nurse practitioners but don’t have enough knowledge about becoming nurse practitioners. Let’s have a detailed view of the procedure of being a nurse practitioner.
Education And Requirements For Being A Nurse Practitioner
Nurse practitioners have to spend several years in postsecondary education. If you desire to be a nurse practitioner, you must know some necessary things. The Nurse Practitioner aspirant should have 4 years Bachelor’s degree of Science in Nursing.
When a student completes the degree of Bachelors in Science in nursing, he is eligible for a nurse practitioner. After that, the student has to attain the degree of masters to be a nurse practitioner. It can take you 2 to 4 years to be a nurse practitioner.
During the degree, the students learn a significant amount of clinical work, which may take 4 years to complete. There is no need for a nurse practitioner to be a registered nurse. But, if one becomes a registered nurse, it brings an extra edge.
You will learn the basics and gain experience in the relevant field. You can manage the educational expenses while working in any of the local hospitals.
Read More: How Hard is Nursing School? Students Tell All
Physicians and Nurse Practitioners
You can be stunned to know that nurse practitioners differ slightly from physicians. Nurse practitioners have another advantage in that they can have duties that are quite similar to a physician’s duties.
A physician sometimes handles primary care issues and administers the physical examination. A nurse practitioner also does the same thing.
The practitioner, like a physician, examines the patients and checks their medical history. After making the diagnosis, there comes a recommendation from her/him.
Related: How Much Does Nursing School Cost?
Difference Between A Registered Nurse And A Nurse Practitioner
Everyone should know that there is so much difference between a registered nurse and a nurse practitioner. A registered nurse becomes so when she attains an associate degree in nursing. But, a nurse practitioner needs higher qualifications.
At least a master’s degree is needed to be a nurse practitioner. Nurse practitioners have an extra edge over registered nurses.
They find many paths in the field because of their qualification. The nurse practitioner is more authoritative and autonomous than an ordinary nurse.
Nurse practitioners also enjoy a handsome salary. The researchers reveal that the need for nurse practitioners will increase by 31 percent in the upcoming years.
Duties of a Nurse Practitioner
The general public may consider the duties of a nurse practitioner quite similar to that of a nurse. The perceptions are true to some extent, but the nurse practitioner has much to do with a registered nurse. There is a high demand for nurse practitioners because of their advanced training and education.
When you become a nurse practitioner, you know the duties very well. If you want to be a practitioner and are eager to know the duties, he/she records the patient’s medical history. Diagnosis of the disease and recommendation of the treatment.
They also educate patients about preventive care measures. Collecting information about the disease and medical records of the patients from the guardian and the family members. The detailed examination of patients in rural areas is also one of their duties.
Ordering the test for the diagnosis of the disease is on their part. They supervise the activities of the staff working in hospitals. Emergency room nursing, pediatric care, and family practice are also the duty of an NP. They also enjoy the authority of administering drugs and fluids.
Some nurse practitioners specialize in specific fields. Here are some nurse practitioners.
There are many types of nurse practitioners. If you specialized in one of those specialties, you would enhance the scope of your work and duties. Nurse practitioners are of the following types.
Related: How Long Is Nursing School?
Women Health Care Nurse Practitioners
Women health care nurse practitioners specialize in the comprehensive care of women’s health. The focus of these practitioners is on the reproductive, gynecological, and obstetric health of women.
Acute Care NPs focus on caring for sick patients admitted to hospitals. They usually treat adults suffering from complex diseases.
Neonatal nurse practitioners care for sick infants facing genetic disorders, prematurity, and surgical congenital disabilities.
Pediatric Nurse Practitioners solely focus on treating children from infancy to adulthood. In some states, they independently operate and serve as primary care nurses.
Where Can the NPS Work?
When a student desires to be nurse practitioner, they must be thinking about the workplace. NPS can work anywhere they want.
They can work at hospitals, offices of physicians, and private clinics. Usually, some practitioners work in their own clinics. But, they should specialize in such fields, i.e., pediatrics and obstetrics. But, for practical work, the nurse should have a license from the government to practice the