When thinking about future career plans, one may want to pursue the career as a Nurse Practitioner (NP). As a Nurse Practitioner, one will be able to alleviate the negative impact the national physician shortage has caused, by fulfilling similar duties. The career as an NP will require the pursuer to want to help people, obtain an education, and obtain certifications, all the while fulfilling an in-demand field.
Before becoming a Nurse Practitioner many normally start as a Registered Nurse (RN) after acquiring their Associate’s of Science in Nursing (ASN). Once licensed, Registered Nurses will further their education, by studying for a Bachelor’s of Science of Nursing (BSN), Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN), or a Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) in order to become a NP (Jones). Nurse Practitioners require at least a MSN, to pursue the career; passing a few exams and receiving certifications will ensure your ability to become a NP. The licensure required to become a NP, is the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN), and to pass a 150 question certification exam (Jones). California, Indiana, and Kansas are the only states currently, who will consider a NP without national certification. Although, they mainly work collaboratively with doctors, by obtaining a DNP, they will grant themselves the opportunity of working independently (ANA). While studying, not only do employers want you to have formal education through academic learning, they also highly encourage you to have hands-on job experience as a RN (Jones).
Once they have received their ASN and NCLEX-RN licensure, Registered Nurse’s will immediately be able to find work. Some roles of a RN, are to observe and examine patients, consult with doctors and health professionals to administer the best medicines or treatment, inform patients on how to maintain their health, and operate and monitor medical technology. The key difference between a NP and a RN is that Nurse Practitioners can formally diagnose and prescribe medicines (“Differences Between Nurse Practitioners and RNs“). It is important to acquire this previous hands-on experience, to learn the different skills that it takes to be a RN before becoming a NP, because the type of work performed in these jobs are so similar (“Bureau of Labor Statistics”).
There are several different specialities of Nurse Practitioners. Examples of NP’s are a Family Nurse Provider (FNP), Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP (AGPCNP), Pediatric Primary Care NP (PPCNP),and a Psychiatric-Mental Health NP (PMHNP). In order to pursue certain specialties, you will have to take an exam and become board certified. Family Nurse Providers act as your standard Family Care Physician; their focus is in general health care for basic needs of families. This specialty has the most flexible hours, and gives you the opportunity to work in hospitals, medical offices,clinics, or allows you to open your own practice. Normally, someone who specializes as a FNP will diagnose and treat patients, perform wellness checkups, and prescribe medicines. If the FNP feels the patient needs more specific treatment, then they will refer them to someone who specializes in the required field. One of the people they could refer you to would be an Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP. Usually, AGPCNPs work out of outpatient facilities like medical offices and clinics, and deal with adults or aging patients. These patients go in for routine checkups, or seek help for minor or chronic illnesses. AGPCNPs specifically work with adults, if a child seeks medical attention they will be referred to a Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner. A PPCNP only works with adolescents, from infants to teenagers, helping them develop both physically and mentally. Additionally, if a child requires more extensive emotional guidance, they will be referred to a Psychiatric-Mental Health NP. PMHNPs, however, do not only work with adolescents. They work with patients of any age who have a suspected mental health issue. Their responsibilities include the following: prescribing medication toward patients, and consoling those suffering with depression, anxiety etc. Each specialty, although under the same profession, have different duties from one another (Papandrea).
Similar to many jobs, a Nurse Practitioner deals with many challenges and social issues, but these should not affect the efficiency of the work that they perform. Society tends to look down upon treatments that don’t seem to go along with traditional methods, but are in the best interests of the patient. A few treatments that could be deemed unethical is the prescription of medical marijuana and euthanasia, but may be considered when trying to improve a patient’s disorder. Medical Marijuana has been used to treat many disorders such as HIV/AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis, inflammation, pain, seizures, substances use disorders and mental disorders. Studies have shown that Medical Marijuana, might be able to reduce the amount of certain cancer cells, and kill others (NIDA). Currently, there are only two drugs that are FDA-approved that contains THC: dronabinol and nabilone (NIDA). These drugs are said to help treat nausea from chemotherapy and help prevent weight loss in AIDS patients. Euthanasia is the act of assisting a patient to death, by their own wishes, to relieve them of pain and suffering, commonly referred to Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS). Many argue for this because they believe it goes along with their right to refuse or terminate a life-saving treatment ("Euthanasia ProCon.org."). Even though, some patients believe it is your own right to choose whether you live or die, it goes against the Hippocratic Oath of doctors. To summarize, the Hippocratic Oath states that you shall do no harm, treat patients to the best of your abilities, but also states that understanding the patient means more than any treatment (“Hippocratic Oath”). Once the NP determines the patient’s disorder, they will be able to decide which treatment is best and who should be notified. There are certain circumstances where confidentiality can be broken, but this doesn’t go against the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Disclosing a patient’s information, to any other person, besides the people involved with the patient, goes against HIPAA and can get you terminated. For example, if a patient is diagnosed with a STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection), disclosing that to your colleagues, goes against HIPAA, but you have to notify all sexual partners of the patient. Notifying their partners does not go against HIPAA, because they are involved with the patient and this could put them at risk. Overcoming these challenges will help Nurse Practitioners thrive within their profession (NIDA).
Despite the challenges and social issues they have to face, Nurse Practitioners will have to decide the proper treatment for the patient. One thing they have to consider in doing this, is what will be best for the patient. Outside influences might impact the patient and their decision on whether or not they accept the form of treatment, but it should not affect the NP’s decision. The Nurse Practitioner needs to explain to the patient, why the treatment will help benefit them the most. If the patient decides to decline treatment, the treating physician can either continue to attempt to convince the patient to accept treatment, or try an alternate method in order to get the patient to agree.
Becoming a Nurse Practitioner is something very new to me. After researching more about them and their career, I’ve realized that I am surrounded by them, many of my regular physicians are NPs. They are a growing career and it seems like a logical route to go in; I know I can achieve my goal because I enjoy taking care of people, want what’s best for people, and I also have the academic and social ability. Whenever my best friends get sick, I am always by their side to get them what they need. To me, it is important for them to stay healthy and happy, by bringing them over the counter medicine, presents, or just spending time with them I feel that I am helping them. It brings me joy to see people happy, to help them get better, and know that I’ve impacted their life. Although I wish to positively affect their lives, if it is not what is best for them then I will back off. At the same time, if me being there for them will help them become a better person and make them better, then I will stay for as long as I need to. For instance, my best friend longs to go to college, but doesn’t believe she can do it, and has been told by people, including her mother, that she will not be able to. I’ve pushed her to pursue her dreams, and at the very least, encouraged her to apply to her dream college. Regardless of her not believing, she got in. I recognized it would be what’s best for her, so I encouraged her to fight for it. My grades have always been something I’ve been proud of, every year since elementary school I have been on the Honor Roll. During high school I was always ahead of everyone in my grade, instead of taking English 10 as a sophomore, I was taking English 11; this was also present throughout all of my other core classes. Since, I have been able to push myself towards higher level classes, I believe this will give me the ability to achieve my goals. I also have the social skills that would benefit me in the profession. Some social skills I have that would assist me is I work well with others, I can take a position of authority when needed, and I strive in many different work environments. While working as a group, I usually tend to take charge and assign people jobs within the situation. Whether the situation is high stress, or a low-maintenance task, I feel order is important, however, I am also a proponent in enjoying one’s work by having fun as well as maintaining order. I’m known to be quite extroverted, but I have the ability to be reserved enough to be considered “professional” within my field; this is why I believe I will make a good Nurse Practitioner.
A Nurse Practitioner has many responsibilities. The training and education required to become an NP can be very strenuous and demanding; it is a step-by-step process. First by receiving your ASN, and BSN, to becoming an RN, and then furthering your education to get your MSN or DNP. Once gaining enough experience as a RN, at least two years, it is a smart time to pursue the Nurse Practitioner profession, due to the increasing demand of those involved with medical fields. NPs tend to deal with more challenges and social issues than RNs, because they have the ability to prescribe medications. Although these social issues would cause difficulties throughout my career path, I believe becoming a Nurse Practitioner would be best suited for me because I would be able to overcome obstacles.