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All About Nurse Practitioners

Nurse Practitioner (NP) Example Diagnose and treat acute, episodic, or chronic illness, independently or as part of a healthcare team. May focus on health promotion and disease prevention. May order, perform, or interpret diagnostic tests such as lab work and x rays. May prescribe medication. Must be registered nurses who have specialized graduate education.

Daily Life Of a Nurse Practitioner (NP)

  • Educate patients about self-management of acute or chronic illnesses, tailoring instructions to patients’ individual circumstances.
  • Perform routine or annual physical examinations.
  • Detect and respond to adverse drug reactions, with special attention to vulnerable populations such as infants, children, pregnant and lactating women, or older adults.
  • Consult with, or refer patients to, appropriate specialists when conditions exceed the scope of practice or expertise.
  • Recommend interventions to modify behavior associated with health risks.
  • Prescribe medications based on efficacy, safety, and cost as legally authorized.

What Every Nurse Practitioner (NP) Should Know

Nurse Practitioners state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

  • Medical Surgery Nurse
  • Family Health Nurse Practitioner
  • Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
  • Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner
  • Adult Nurse Practitioner

What Kind of Nurse Practitioner (NP) Job Opportunities Are There?

There were about 155,500 jobs for Nurse Practitioner in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 36.1% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 56,100 new jobs for Nurse Practitioner by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 14,400 job openings in this field each year.

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The states with the most job growth for Nurse Practitioner (NP) are Arizona, Utah, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Rhode Island, Mississippi, or Nebraska. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

What is the Average Salary of a Nurse Practitioner (NP)

The salary for Nurse Practitioners ranges between about $78,300 and $150,320 a year.

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Nurse Practitioners who work in California, Hawaii, or Alaska, make the highest salaries.

How much do Nurse Practitioners make in different U.S. states?

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $95,970
Alaska $122,880
Arizona $110,750
Arkansas $104,300
California $133,780
Colorado $111,210
Connecticut $118,020
Delaware $108,340
District of Columbia $109,800
Florida $101,100
Georgia $106,750
Hawaii $120,570
Idaho $102,600
Illinois $105,800
Indiana $103,200
Iowa $106,290
Kansas $99,430
Kentucky $99,790
Louisiana $105,340
Maine $103,220
Maryland $115,060
Massachusetts $122,740
Michigan $106,880
Minnesota $119,160
Mississippi $109,700
Missouri $102,470
Montana $103,510
Nebraska $103,800
Nevada $112,540
New Hampshire $109,460
New Jersey $122,100
New Mexico $109,810
New York $120,970
North Carolina $104,100
North Dakota $106,200
Ohio $101,970
Oklahoma $103,280
Oregon $110,010
Pennsylvania $98,250
Rhode Island $109,290
South Carolina $99,910
South Dakota $100,690
Tennessee $95,990
Texas $111,060
Utah $105,840
Vermont $106,000
Virginia $105,170
Washington $117,650
West Virginia $100,690
Wisconsin $106,790
Wyoming $116,030

What Tools do Nurse Practitioners Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Nurse Practitioners may use on a daily basis:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Web browser software
  • Microsoft Access
  • Microsoft SharePoint
  • MEDITECH software
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer
  • Medical procedure coding software
  • Epic Systems
  • Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCS
  • Medical condition coding software
  • GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
  • Bizmatics PrognoCIS EMR
  • eClinicalWorks
  • Allscripts Professional EHR
  • SOAPware EMR
  • e-MDs software

How do I Become a Nurse Practitioner (NP)?

What kind of Nurse Practitioner requirements are there?

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How Long Does it Take to Become a Nurse Practitioner (NP)?

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References:

Image Credit: Aleksahgabrielle via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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