Nurse Practitioner

Sharon Holtkamp
11/11/16
English
1A

There are a lot of different jobs In the medical field but the focus of this paper is one particular job. A Nurse practitioner, a nurse who is qualified to treat certain medical conditions without the direct supervision of a doctor. Just like any other job in the medical field there are schooling requirements before working in the field of ones choice. The basic schooling for a nurse practitioner starts off with pursuing a bachelor of science (BSN) which takes about four years. This typically fulfills many of the prerequisites of a graduate nursing program. BSN programs feature hands on clinical instruction and coursework such as pathophysiology, pharmacology and nursing care of various …show more content…
The next step in becoming a nurse practitioner is to pursuit a graduate degree in nursing a majority of graduate programs require applicants to have a BSN this step usually takes about one to four years. The final step is to get certified by the specialty nursing board. The timeline for this varies and the prerequisites also …show more content…
Nurse Practitioners prescribe medications, treat illness, and administer physical exams. Most NPs specialize in particular areas of health care. A Nurse Practitioner can work in many different settings. NPs differ from physicians in that they focus on prevention, wellness, and education. NPs specialize in providing all encompassing individualized care. Some work in hospitals as a hospitalist, which means they see patients who are admitted to the hospital and care for them and their illnesses. NPs work in clinics or urgent care settings. Some work in the emergency room at the hospital. Some work in hospitals as a hospitalist, which means they see patients who are admitted to the hospital and care for them while they are there. They write orders for their care and see them every day. Others work in psych hospitals with mental health patients, or with long-term care patients in a nursing home. There are also opportunities for NPs to work in a different cultural setting, such as the Indian Health Services in Arizona or with Eskimos in Alaska. There are NPs who own their own practices and work independently with a collaborating physician, but the physician is not necessarily at the practice while they are working. They also can work as acute care NPs in the intensive care units with the most seriously ill patients.
The benefits to being a nurse practitioner is

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