Brianna Simmons

Alissa Sipus
Contemporary Nursing Specialty Topic
1. Educational requirements
The education requirements to become a Nurse practitioner include first getting your Bachelor’s
of Science in Nursing and having a registered nursing license (which you obtain by passing the
NCLEX). Then you earn your Master of Science in Nursing through a graduate program. You
must then pass a national licensure exam to become certified and hold an NP license. Through
the many years of education, you spend a lot of time getting clinical and hands on experience.
This helps in not only preparing you for the licensure exams, but also prepares you for practice.
2. Specific responsibilities
Nurse practitioners have an array of responsibilities, but some that are specific to their degree of
education include managing patients care, ordering, conducting, and understanding a diagnostic
test. They are also responsible for diagnosing and prescribing medications and other forms of
treatment. In addition to their other responsibilities, they perform invasive procedures, promote a
healthy lifestyle, and teach about prevention against disease and injury.
3. Advantages/disadvantages
Nurse practitioners have advantages and disadvantages regarding their work. An example of an
advantage is having the ability to become apart of their clients’ lives. Relationships between the
nurse and patient can be developed through either counseling, communicative, or educational
aspects of their work. Due to advanced training in nurse practitioners, they are able to have more
hands-on and independent work. They get many benefits outside of the hospital that include
health, dental, and life insurance, along with vacation and sick pay. Although there are many
advantages, there are also quite a few disadvantages. Nurse practitioners have very irregular
schedules, and are not always allowed to leave at the end of their shifts. Some nurses are
constantly on call, therefore never getting a “true day” off. These nurses work very long hours at
a time, and the annual salaries do not add up to the hourly pay. In addition to this, they spend
most of their time walking or standing, thus causing their health to deteriorate sooner. They are
also at risk and have greater exposure to get the diseases that their clients have. Overall, like with
any job, there are benefits and drawbacks. Nurse practitioners have to figure out the advantages
and disadvantages for themselves to determine whether or not they will make a good fit for the
demanding job.

4. Other: schedule, career mobility (opportunities), salary

The schedules of nurse practitioners vary. Their specialties often determine their work setting,
and some work in more than one. Most do not work a normal workweek, but instead may work
holidays, weekends, evenings, and nights. Career mobility or opportunities of nurse practitioners
include having the authority to write prescriptions, but most states still require a physician’s
signature. They also are involved in diagnostic screenings, health education, and vaccination
clinics. Usually, nurse practitioners like to specialize. There are many different types of nurses,
such as neonatal, pediatric, school, occupational health, and geriatric. The median salary for
nurse practitioners is in the upper $40,000’s to low $50,000’s annually. It can range from low
$40,000’s to over $70,000.
Brianna Simmons
Alissa Sipus

References

Everyday Health, Incorporation. (2017, January 30). What Do Nurse Practitioners Do? NP job

Description. Health e Careers. https://www.healthecareers.com/article/career/nurse-

practitioner-job-description

Green, K. (1996, Fall). Nurse Practitioner. Occupational Outlook Quarterly, 40(3), 36.

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