Nurse Practitioner Specialties in High Demand
- Article by:Health Career Center
What Are Nurse Practitioners?
Nurse Practitioners are a type of Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) that are able to perform a variety of what RNs are not licensed to do because of their advanced education and specialized clinical training. As a Nurse Practitioner, you can expect to be able to treat and diagnose common illnesses without the assistance of a doctor. You will also provide immunizations to patients and help with chronic health issues such as high blood pressure, depression, and diabetes. In all states in the US, Nurse Practitioners can prescribe medication.
In fact, in 26 states, they can practice independently of a doctor and there are various nurse practitioner specialties that one can focus on. Americans make over 916 million visits to NPs every year. They can speak to family on health care options, perform basic procedures, and even order laboratory tests. Nurse practitioners offer clinical expertise in diagnosing patients, treating health conditions and emphasizing disease prevention and health management.
Academic Requirements of a Nurse Practitioner
To become a Nurse Practitioner, or commonly referred to as an NP, you must first get your undergraduate degree in the nursing, become a registered nurse, complete a master’s nursing program and participate in advanced clinical training. To get this master's degree, you must go to school for at least two more years after you obtain your bachelor's degree. Some programs available to get this degree allow you to specialize in a specific area of healthcare.
Common specialty areas include:
- Pediatrics
- Women’s Primary Care
- Family Primary Care
- Acute Care
- Occupational Health
- Psychiatric or Mental Health
Skills required for a Nurse Practitioner:
- Critical Thinking
- Ability to Manage Stress in a Variety of Environments
- Leadership
- Strong Communication
There is currently a growing national movement to require all NPs to obtain their Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. This is not currently required but it is important to understand what may be required of you later on if the movement is successful. This degree will require an additional three to four years of study after the bachelor's degree is earned. This degree is also similar to the credentials required by dentists, clinical pharmacists, clinic psychologists, and physicians.
Courses offered in graduate nursing programs are in health sciences and vary between classroom education and clinical training The curriculum is set up to prepare you for thinking critically and prepare you for using the information that you learned in your undergraduate career. They are also designed to help you become eligible to sit for the national board exams as you must become certified.
Specialties in High Demand
There are many specialties in the NP arena that not only yield high salaries, but are also in high demand. See the most common ones below.
1. Emergency Department NP - if you want to work in a fast paced environment and earn, on average, $106,591 per year, this is the position for you. However, you will have to work some hard shifts such as overnight, weekend, and holidays.
2. Neonatal NP - with this position, you can earn up to $105,220. You will be working with infants, both full term and pre term that are critically ill. This is a difficult position for many because of the stress.
3. Psychiatric/Mental Health NP - this position pays about $101,444 per year. You will be working with individuals with mental illness and their families. You will manage their medication and offer crisis intervention, among other things.
4. House Call NP - to earn on average $99,149, you can work in this specialty. This is mostly for people who need assistance for their elderly family after released from the hospital. You will offer care to prevent them from hospital readmission.
5. Gerontology NP - this specialty can earn you about $98,932 per year. You will work with older adults and treat and manage their acute and chronic conditions.
There are many different specialties you can focus on with your NP degree. With the current primary care shortage that the field is facing, nurse practitioners offer a great solution by providing high quality, cost-effective healthcare to millions of Americans.