A nurse practitioner, or NP, is a doctor of nursing who takes over the duties of an RN. They often oversee other nurses’ workloads and perform other duties depending on the state they work in. In some states, the NP can perform surgery under their supervision. While a RN performs major tasks such as cleaning and dressing patients, a nurse practitioner performs much simpler tasks like checking pulse and temperature, and providing simple pain management. Depending on where you live, you may even be able to take advanced courses toward a position as an NP.
The process to become a nurse practitioner is much different than it is for a nurse anesthetist. First of all, you need to attend a nursing program that trains you to do basic lab work. Then you must pass the NCLEX-RN exam and obtain your nursing license before you can legally take the exam to become a nurse practitioner. The exam requirements vary from state to state, so you’ll have to check with your state’s health board to find out what requirements you need to meet.
Some states allow nurses to be employed as nurse practitioners without meeting any educational requirements by obtaining their RN license first. Still others require that you have a minimum of 2 years of experience in a similar role to be considered eligible. Regardless of which avenue you take to become a nurse practitioner, the exam will likely be challenging. Students will need to study for both the NCLEX-RN and the ACN-RN tests, and there are specific study books and resources that have been created just for people who want to pass these two exams in particular.
In order to qualify as a nurse practitioner, you will need to have completed a four-year bachelor’s degree at an accredited university or college. You should be very familiar with medical terms, such as English, math, anatomy, physiology, and psychology. You should also have excellent communication skills, as you will be dealing directly with patients. After you have attended the education portion of your nursing career school, you will need to pass the NCLEX-RN exam. This examination measures general patient care skills, while the ACN-RN measures your abilities to provide specialized care to patients with specific needs. Although some states don’t require a passing score on either exam, passing both of them is extremely important to become a nurse practitioner.
Most nurses begin their careers as registered nurses or LPNs. In order to get licensed as an RN, you must pass both the NCLEX-RN and the ACN-RN and then sit for the licensure exam. Once you pass this exam, you can start practicing as a nurse. All states require that nurse practitioners or LPNs take the licensing exam before they can legally practice medicine.
Many LPNs or RNs work in various healthcare settings such as hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes. The most common work for a LPN or RN is in a hospital or other health care facility. Others choose to go to work in a clinic or doctor’s office. If you choose to work in a physician’s office, it is usually necessary to have nursing certifications in order to practice independently. However, some facilities are now opening up to offer more flexible practices to their employees, and many nurses are choosing to work in these environments instead.
These are just a few of the possible nursing certifications that can be earned, and there are many more available than most would think. By getting a degree in nursing, you will be able to have the skills that you need to help patients of all ages, from infants to the elderly. It will give you the chance to be a very valuable member of your medical team, and you will never regret earning your degree.
