Career Overview
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.
Also Known As
- ACNP (Acute Care Nurse Practitioner)
- Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
- Gastroenterology Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Practitioner (NP)
Alternate Job Titles
- ACNP (Acute Care Nurse Practitioner)
- Adult Nurse Practitioner
- Advanced Practice Nurse (APN)
- Advanced Practice Provider
- Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)
- ARNP Specialist (Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner Specialist)
- Cardiology Nurse Practitioner
- Certified Nurse Practitioner
- Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner
- CPNP (Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner)
- Dermatology Nurse Practitioner
- Electrophysiology Nurse Practitioner
- Emergency Medicine Nurse Practitioner
- Family Health Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Maintain complete and detailed records of patients' health care plans and prognoses.
- Develop treatment plans, based on scientific rationale, standards of care, and professional practice guidelines.
- Provide patients with information needed to promote health, reduce risk factors, or prevent disease or disability.
- Analyze and interpret patients' histories, symptoms, physical findings, or diagnostic information to develop appropriate diagnoses.
- Diagnose or treat complex, unstable, comorbid, episodic, or emergency conditions in collaboration with other health care providers as necessary.
- Prescribe medication dosages, routes, and frequencies, based on such patient characteristics as age and gender.
- Diagnose or treat chronic health care problems, such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Medicine and Dentistry
- English Language
- Biology
- Psychology
- Customer and Personal Service
- Therapy and Counseling
- Education and Training
- Sociology and Anthropology
- Mathematics
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Writing
- Speaking
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Social Perceptiveness
- Judgment and Decision Making
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Written Comprehension
- Problem Sensitivity
- Inductive Reasoning
- Oral Expression
- Written Expression
- Near Vision
- Deductive Reasoning
- Oral Comprehension
- Speech Recognition
- Speech Clarity
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Dependability
- Empathy
- Cooperation
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Relationships
- Achievement
- Support
- Independence
- Working Conditions
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Master's Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months
Education Details: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Experience Required: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- eClinicalWorks EHR software
- Epic Systems
- MEDITECH software
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Angiocaths
- Apnea monitors
- Argon lasers
- Arterial blood gas monitoring equipment
- Arterial line catheters
- Automated external defibrillators AED
- Back braces
- Bilevel positive airway pressure BiPAP ventilators
- Binocular light compound microscopes
- Biopsy punches
- Blood drawing syringes
- Carbon dioxide CO2 lasers
- Cardiac monitors
- Cardiopulmonary resuscitation CPR face shields
- Chest tubes
Work Environment
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
- Exposed to Disease or Infections
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $97,960 |
| Median | $129,210 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $169,950 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 307,390
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Registered Nurses
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $93,600
Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses
Education: Master's Degree
Median Salary: $93,600
Clinical Nurse Specialists
Education: Master's Degree
Median Salary: $93,600
Family Medicine Physicians
Education: Doctoral Degree
Median Salary: $238,380
Acute Care Nurses
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $93,600
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.