Advancing Your Career - From Registered Nurse to Nurse Practitioner Becoming a Nursing Practitioner is an option that a lot of registered nurses consider when they want to advance their nursing career. To become a nurse practitioner, however, an RN must obtain a master’s degree. Many postpone their dream of advancing their career because they have no time to go back to school. Good thing, RNs can now obtain their master’s degree online.
What does an NP do? Nurse practitioners or NPs provide personal and cost-effective health care to patients who cannot otherwise afford an in-depth level of medical attention provided by a physician. NPs typically take on more responsibilities than RNs and often work in medical facilities that are understaffed. Because they have more responsibilities, NPs are also made more accountable in administering treatment and medical procedures. Not only do nurse practitioners have to take care of a patient's wellbeing, often, they also need to consider the effect of the patient's illness on his or her family. Nurse practitioners must make sure that their patient is well-educated about their condition and encourage the patient and the family to be part of the major decisions involved in the care of the patient.
Patient care and advice Nurse Practitioners give their patients options and alternatives on what they could do to better their condition. NPs advice their patients about less expensive treatments and the possibility of having fewer prescriptions, especially to those who do not require costly measures or simply do not want to undergo complex procedures. NPs also instruct their patients on how to live a healthy life, about proper nutrition, preventive measures, and self-care skills, as well give instructions to caregivers, if any. They teach their patients how to be independent so that they can rely less on medical office visits. Furthermore, NPs also work with the healthy and can be involved with preventive care, family planning, prenatal planning and childcare. They also perform annual physicals for patients of any age and in most states, can prescribe required medications for patients.
Specializations and fields Patients of NPs vary in age, from the very young the elderly. There are also different fields for nurse practitioners to work in, the most common being adult practice, family practice, gerontology (caring for the elderly), pediatrics, acute care, and women's health among others.
Working relationship with physician Nurse practitioners are qualified to perform certain procedures that otherwise can only be done by physicians. They can care for patients with infections, injuries, and acute illnesses. They are also qualified to diagnose, treat and monitor chronic illnesses. NPs have close working relationships with physicians and often give referrals to doctors. NPs can be a regular health care provider to certain patients where they are the first medical professional that the patient contacts when they experience a health-related problem. NPs also give physicals, inspect medical histories, and order diagnostics such as EKGs, lab tests, and X-rays, which they are also qualified to interpret and perform. They can also prescribe rehabilitation treatments such as physical therapy.