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How To Become Nurse Practitioner?
According to the U.S. Labor Statistics Bureau (BLS December 2015), nursing practitioners are well compensated and demanded well. By illustration, BLS (May 2015) reported that the Nurse Practitioner earns an average annual salary of $ 101,260, much larger than the annual average for all jobs ($ 48,320). Furthermore, openings for NPs are expected to increase 35 percent between 2014 and 2024, indicating five times the average projected employment growth for all jobs over the period (7 percent). So how does one join this profitable career on the rise?
In order to become a nursing practitioner in any field, the initial steps are usually the same:
- Graduated from high school. Aspiring Nurse Practitioner usually excels in courses such as anatomy, psychology, chemistry, biology, and statistics. In addition, some people choose to volunteer at the hospital for experience and letters of recommendation for the lecture application process.
- Pursuing a bachelor of nursing science (BSN) or a similar degree (4 years). There are various educational pathways to becoming a Nurse Practitioner, but for prospective follow-up nursing practitioners, pursuing BSN typically meets many of the prerequisites of a post-graduate nursing program (eg, MSN or DNP). The BSN program features direct clinical instruction and courses in areas such as pathophysiology, pharmacology, and nursing care from a variety of populations. Students are advised to ensure that their degree program is accredited by a recognized body such as the Collegiate Nursing Education Commission (CCNE) or the Education Accreditation Commission for Nursing, Inc. (ACEN). Accreditation is important not only to ensure that a top-notch program, but also to qualify students to take the RN licensing exam.
- Become a registered nurse (RN) and collecting experience (1-2 years). As part of an associate's or bachelor's program in nursing, students usually earn their RN license. The requirements may vary by country, but generally involve evidence to complete an approved training program and pass the National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). After that, RNs usually get breastfeeding experience in the field before applying to the graduate program.
- Pursuing a bachelor's degree in nursing (1.5 - 4 years). According to AANP (2016), 96.2 percent of NP hold a bachelor's degree. The majority of postgraduate nursing programs require that their applicants have at least one BSN - primarily online program offerings - although there are exceptions. For example, there is a "bridge program" (eg, RN-to-MSN) as recorded through the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), as well as "accelerated BSN programs" (eg, for non BSN undergraduate applicants) is at Duke University. There are various undergraduate degrees in nursing, although the two most common are nursing science masters (MSN) and nursing practice doctors (DNP). MSN takes about two years to complete and can be a general nursing degree or completed in a chosen specialization (eg, mental health, family, children). The DNP level - a terminal that the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is hailed as "the future of special nursing education" - takes about four years to complete. For postgraduate programs in nursing, admission requirements vary, but generally include the following:
- Resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
- Official university transcripts
- 1-2 page personal statement about student's professional goals
- Letters of recommendation from supervisors, professors, and other related mentors
- Interview (directly or online)
- Proof of registered nurse license (RN) in U.S.
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT) score (especially for MSN program applicants)
- Application fee
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) for native English speakers
- Get certified by a special care board (timeline varies). In addition to local licenses - details provided by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) - NPs typically achieve national certification through established entities such as the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). While the prerequisites for certification vary, it usually includes:
- Holds a valid RN license
- Have an NP (MSN or higher) degree from a program accredited by the Collegiate Nursing Education Committee (CCNE) or the Education Accreditation Commission for Nursing, Inc. (ACEN)
- Complete certain courses (eg, advanced health assessment, biostatistics, physiology & anatomy, etc.)
- Displays evidence of at least 500 hours of clinically supervised faculty
- Passing a comprehensive exam
- Pay for app or exam fees