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A nurse practitioner is a registered nurse who has gone on to receive additional certification, allowing him or her to provide medical services to patients while under the supervision of a medical doctor. Nurse practitioners can provide primary care service to patients or they can work in a specialty such as obstetrics or geriatrics. This page will explore how to become a nurse practitioner.
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How to Become a Nurse Practitioner
This video lays out the educational path to become a nurse practitioner. You first need to complete a bachelor's degree, and earn your RN. After earning your degree, most programs will require you to have experience in acute care nursing. The master's program to become a nurse practitioner lasts 2 years, and is followed by clinical training before you are granted a license to practice as a nurse practitioner under the supervision of a physician.
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Introduction
- A nurse practitioner (NP) provides basic patient medical care, usually under the supervision of a physician. To become a nurse practitioner, a candidate must be licensed by the state he or she will be practicing in. Licensing requirements vary by state, but usually require completion of a graduate degree and successfully passing a licensing exam.
Step 1: Decide if It's Right for You
- A nurse practitioner is a registered nurse who has received additional training and is licensed to assume certain responsibilities in patient care that are often reserved for physicians. The NP can work in a variety of medical facilities, such as a clinic, health center, public health agency, doctor's office, or hospital. They are usually permitted to perform physical examinations, order diagnostic tests, formulate treatment plans, and prescribe medications. Some states license nurse practitioners to engage in private practice.
Step 2: Become a Registered Nurse
- Although there are a few graduate programs that accept candidates who are not licensed as registered nurses, most programs require that a candidate has successfully completed a baccalaureate program in nursing, passed state licensing exams, and is currently licensed as a registered nurse.
Step 3: Obtain a Graduate Degree
- Although some states only require that the nurse practitioner receive a master's degree from a formal NP program, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing has recommended that a doctoral degree be required for licensing by 2015.
Conclusion
A career as a nurse practitioner allows you to merge the compassionate care provided by nurses with the primary care usually conducted by a physician. It is a faster path to a medical career than that followed by a doctor, as licensing does not require a period of residency after graduate school.
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