How to Become a Nurse Practitioner in 3 Steps

Nurse Types / Nurse Practitioner

One of the greatest perks of nursing is the ability to advance within the field. The best way to climb the ladder as a nurse involves obtaining an advanced degree. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 56% of registered nurses (RNs) have a BSN or higher degree.

If you’re looking for greater autonomy as a nurse, becoming a nurse practitioner (NP) might suit you. A nurse practitioner can diagnose and treat health conditions in their patients. They also can specialize in different areas, including pediatrics or women’s health.

There’s a growing demand for NPs and this guide will key you into position.

In this article we explore:

• What is a nurse practitioner?
• What do nurse practitioners do?
• Where do nurse practitioners work?
• What are specific types of nurse practitioners?
• How do you become a nurse practitioner in 3 steps?
• What are additional requirements of nurse practitioners?
• What are the salary and career outlooks for nurse practitioners?

What is a nurse practitioner?

An NP is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who works autonomously to manage patients’ health care and prevent disease. In most states, NPs can prescribe medications, order diagnostic testing, and diagnose patients. These duties usually are reserved for physicians. 

These advanced degrees grant them greater authority than a registered nurse.

Qualities of a successful nurse practitioner

Nurse practitioners have a lot more autonomy than other nursing professionals. Because of this, they must be skilled at working independently. That can require self-motivation and resourcefulness.

Other qualities you’ll need if you want to be successful as a nurse practitioner include:

• Active listening. Nurses must be strong communicators. A key part of effective communication is active listening, so your patients feel heard and understood.
• Attention to detail. Your keen observation skills can mean the difference between a patient getting healthy or experiencing complications.
• Communication skills. NPs must be well-trained in effective communication both in-person and virtually. With the rise in telehealth, more patients are being seen virtually than ever before.

What do nurse practitioners do?

In many ways, nurse practitioners are more like doctors than other nurses. Duties include:

• Prescribing medication
• Diagnosing conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, infections, and injuries
• Ordering and interpreting medical tests
• Examining patients
• Counseling
• Informing patients about disease prevention

According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, NPs hold prescriptive privileges in all 50 states and D.C. However, their scope of practice depends on their specialty and the state they live in. 

In the states with full practice authority, the nurse practitioners do not have to work under a doctor’s supervision. In reduced and restricted states, nurses must comply with and get a doctor to sign off on specific patient care decisions.

A day in the life of a nurse practitioner

A typical day in the life of a nurse practitioner can include many different tasks. NPs spend their shifts implementing treatment plans for patients, collaborating with other health care workers, and keeping records of patient care.

Some of the other duties you can expect in this nursing role include:

• Collecting samples for testing (blood, urine, stool)
• Creating treatment plans and explaining them to your patients and their caregivers 
• Documenting any new or existing symptoms
• Ordering lab tests and diagnostic procedures
• Updating medical records

Common conditions treated by nurse practitioners

Nurse practitioners can choose a nursing specialty, focusing on patients with specific conditions or illnesses. Others may prefer a broader approach, treating patients across the age spectrum experiencing a variety of illnesses and injuries.

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Where do nurse practitioners work?

NPs can work in a variety of healthcare settings. Some of the most popular choices include:

• Community clinics
• Educational organizations
• Hospitals
• Urgent care facilities
• Private practices

What are specific types of nurse practitioners?

Nurse practitioners enjoy a wide degree of flexibility. There are many different specialties to choose from within the field, and each specialty requires a certain amount of training and certification. Each of the following specialties requires an advanced degree to practice.

Family Nurse Practitioner

This role is one of the more prominent specialties that you will find a NP perform. The family nurse practitioner (FNP) engages individuals and families with primary health care. They also help inform and counsel families about living healthy.

Adult Nurse Practitioner

The adult nurse practitioner will mainly work with adult patients and help teach them how to manage chronic conditions while also providing physical exams, prescribing medications, and educating patients about general healthy living practices.

Geriatric Nurse Practitioner

Geriatric NPs work with older patients. They provide physicals, monitor well-being, and work with patients who have specific conditions like heart disease. Additionally, they educate families on a patient’s dietary and wellness needs.

Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner

The women’s health nurse practitioner (WHNP) provides complete care to women, especially regarding their reproductive and gynecological health.

Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

The acute care nurse practitioner serves patients within critical care facilities or hospitals. They help patients when they are ill, sent to the hospital, or following surgery. Their focus is on patients dealing with significant injury or illness.

Occupational Health Nurse Practitioner

The occupational health nurse practitioner works to heal and prevent workplace injuries. Additionally, they share information with employees on various healthy lifestyle choices.

These are just a few of the many specialties within the nurse practitioner field. Choosing your specialty comes down to fit and preference.

Closely related fields

Some other healthcare careers are closely related to nurse practitioners. If you like the idea of working in healthcare but are not sure about becoming an NP, you can explore these options.

•  Audiologists diagnose, manage, and treat patients with balance, hearing, and other related issues.
• Speech-Language Pathologists diagnose and treat people experiencing difficulty with speech or language skills.

How do you become a nurse practitioner in 3 steps?

Step 1 – Become a registered nurse

The first step on your journey to a career as a nurse practitioner requires you to become a registered nurse (RN).  You have options on how you earn your RN license that include different levels of education and a competency exam.

Earn a degree

You can earn an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), which takes between 18 and 24 months to complete. Alternatively, you can choose a more advanced Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, which takes 4 years to complete when attending full-time.

RNs with BSN degrees have more in-depth knowledge about nursing than those with ADNs. They also explore leadership skills as part of their advanced training.

Whichever path you choose, you must eventually earn a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) to become an NP. There are a few different bridge programs to choose from:

• RN-to-MSN
• BSN-to-MSN
• BSN-to-DNP
• MSN-to-DNP

Pass the NCLEX exam

Once you complete your nursing degree, the next step is to pass the NCLEX-RN exam. The NCLEX exam uses computerized adaptive testing (CAT). The system is designed to gauge your nursing abilities. As you answer more questions correctly, the difficulty of future questions increases.

If you fail the NCLEX on your first attempt, you can take it again after a 45-day waiting period. You must pass the NCLEX in order to begin nursing. 

Step 2 – Accumulate experience

It’s important for a potential nurse practitioner to gain experience as a registered nurse. Some programs require at least a year of prior nursing experience.

Helpful skills and experience

Look for RN opportunities that build the skills and experience you’ll need to work confidently as a nurse practitioner in the future. They include:

• Critical thinking and creative problem solving. NPs work independently and must be prepared to think outside the box when treating patients with a variety of healthcare needs. Working in an emergency room or community clinic can help you gain these skills.
• Conflict resolution. There may be times when you must resolve complicated issues among healthcare team members, with health insurance companies, or between patients and their primary caregivers.

Changing specialty to a nurse practitioner

If you already have an master’s or doctoral degree and want to change your specialty to a nurse practitioner, you can take continuing education courses to prepare you for the switchover. You also may need to obtain certifications relevant to your chosen NP specialty.

Step 3 – Obtain certifications

NPs must become certified before they can practice. You can earn your NP certification by passing a national certification exam through either the AANP or the ANCC.

Additionally, every nurse practitioner must pick a specialty. Your chosen specialty determines the type of certification exam you must take.

What are additional requirements of nurse practitioners?

After passing the certification exam, you must turn in your results and transcripts to your state to obtain a nurse practitioner license. Some states require that you apply for an additional prescriptive authority license that allows you to prescribe medicine. Other states require that a potential NP complete a supervised or collaborative practice.

Nurse practitioners need about six years of educational and clinical preparation to enter the field. Once they are in the field, they must complete continuing education courses to maintain proper methods and keep up with ever changing technology.

What are the salary and career outlooks for nurse practitioners?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports nurse practitioners make about $118,040 per year. However, an NP’s salary varies by state and specialty.

This interactive map provides salary data on nurse practitioners across the United States:

Fortunately, nurse practitioners will always be in demand. According to the BLS, the projected change in employment is 40% from 2021 to 2031. That’s a whopping four times more than the typical growth rate of jobs.

This is due to many factors. However, one of the main reasons is as the baby boomer population continues to age, they will require more nurses. 

Job satisfaction

U.S. News & World Report ranks nurse practitioners in first place in its best health care jobs category because of the high level of satisfaction among current NPs.

To increase your job satisfaction with an NP role, make sure you’re prepared for job interviews for your preferred NP roles. This will ensure you find the right fit with a potential employer.

Next steps

Nurse practitioners have plenty of room for growth if they want to advance their careers. There are several career options that use your skills to the fullest while providing new challenges.

• Become a nurse educator. NPs make excellent nurse educators, training up the next generation of nursing professionals.
• Become a chief nursing officer (CNO). CNOs are the highest level of nursing professional. In this role, you direct the operations of nursing staff in a healthcare organization.
• Become a nurse administrator. Nurse administrators fill management and leadership positions within healthcare organizations. They manage nursing teams, units, or an entire department.

Still not sure whether becoming an NP is right for you? Chat with experienced NPs in our nursing community to ask questions and get solid advice.

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