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.

To become a nurse practitioner, a candidate must first acquire a bachelors degree and a degree in registered nursing degree. You must be licensed by the state you will be practicing in. Licensing requirements vary by state, but usually require completion of a graduate degree and successfully passing a licensing exam. Further education may be required if you choose to specialize in a specific aspect of nursing.

In addition to the educational requirements, those wishing to pursue a career as a nurse practitioner should also have certain personal characteristics and aptitudes, including compassion, patience and a genuine interest for helping and caring for others. Depending on where you choose to work upon becoming a nurse practitioner, keep in mind that you may also be required to work long hours and/or night shifts, sometimes in high-paced and potentially high-stress situations. Therefore being able to adapt quickly to new and unexpected situations, problem solve, and think on your feel can also be helpful.

• A nurse practitioner (NP) 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.

• 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.

• 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.

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.