The healthcare field is chock full of exciting opportunities, and becoming a nurse practitioner tops the list. Ranked as the #1 Best Job of 2024 by U.S. News, nurse practitioners are the heroes who expertly blend nursing care with advanced healthcare services. If you’re considering becoming a nurse practitioner, here’s your roadmap to this rewarding career.

What is a Nurse Practitioner?

These rock stars offer a wide range of services, often stepping into a primary or specialty care provider role. Nurse practitioners (NP) can do physical exams, diagnose and treat different illnesses, manage overall patient care, prescribe medications, and educate patients on staying healthy.

NPs can pretty much work anywhere – hospitals, clinics, private practices, and community health centers. They tend to focus on specific areas of healthcare: family health, pediatrics, geriatrics, or women’s health.

While this sounds a lot like a regular physician, there is one major difference – the level of education. Physicians simply have more training under their belt. However, since nurse practitioners begin their career first as registered nurses, they bring a breadth of knowledge about patient care they can apply to the diagnosis, treatment, and management of medical issues.

How Do You Become a Nurse Practitioner?

Like many jobs in healthcare, the first step to becoming a nurse practitioner is earning a degree. In this case, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree is what you want to become a registered nurse (RN). Like other bachelor’s degrees, this takes around four years. You get both classroom learning and hands-on clinical experience.

After you become an RN by earning your BSN, you’ll be able to take the test to become a licensed RN. This exam, the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). The test is designed to test your knowledge and skills to ensure you’re ready to practice nursing at the entry level.

Once you’re a licensed RN, it’s on to real experience! Gain necessary clinical experience as an RN before or during the pursuit of a graduate degree. This hands-on experience is critical for building the strong foundation in patient care and decision-making you’ll need as an NP.

Remember when we mentioned that graduate degree? Enrolling in a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program is the necessary next step in becoming a nurse practitioner. These two-to-four-year programs include specialized classes and clinical experience to get you ready for life as an NP.

When you’ve completed your graduate program, you get to obtain your certification! This isn’t goodbye to school forever, since you’ll need to keep your licensure and any other credentials up to date. However, getting this certification in your chosen specialty area is the only way you get to practice as a nurse practitioner in the country. Make sure you do this through one of two certifying bodies: the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).

The last step is getting licensed! Do this in the state where you plan to work. The requirements do vary by state, so make sure to check with your state’s specific nursing board to get this done correctly. And that’s it – you are done and ready to work as a nurse practitioner!

Career Opportunities and Specializations

As a nurse practitioner, you have the flexibility to work in various healthcare settings and specialize in different areas that interest you. For instance, becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) allows you to provide comprehensive care to people and their families across all ages and conditions. However, a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP) gives you the chance to narrow your focus on infants, children, and adolescents.

If you’d rather talk with adults all day instead, maybe opt for becoming an Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (AGNP). Or maybe you have a passion for women’s health! If so, a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) specialty gives you the opportunity to champion the health of women in your community, including reproductive and gynecological health.

The Rewards of Being a Nurse Practitioner

We know it takes a lot of hard work and time to get there, but being a nurse practitioner can be incredibly fulfilling. The demand for NPs continues to grow, driven by an increasing focus on preventive care and an aging population. It’s the perfect time to consider beginning your NP journey!

This career requires a lot of dedication and a big passion for people. It gives you the chance to truly make a meaningful difference in the lives of your community. If you’re passionate about healthcare, becoming a nurse practitioner might be the perfect choice for you.