Nurse Practitioner

Nurse practitioners diagnose and treat acute, episodic, or chronic illness, independently or as part of a healthcare team. Depending on the state in which you practice, you may order, perform, or interpret diagnostic tests such as lab work and X-rays, prescribe medication, and develop treatment plans based on scientific rationale and standards of care. You may also focus on health promotion and disease prevention.

To pursue a career as a nurse practitioner, you must first be a registered nurse with specialized graduate education. Walden University offers a Master of Science in Nursing with a Family Nurse Practitioner specialization that can help you build skills relevant to this role. Walden's MSN nurse practitioner specializations are designed to provide academic preparation for graduates with an active registered nurse (RN) license to pursue national certification and state licensure as nurse practitioners.

Nurse practitioners draw on a combination of clinical and interpersonal competencies to care for patients effectively. Typical skills for this role include nursing, primary care, medical records management, treatment planning, and patient education and counseling. Developing these skills can help prepare you for the range of responsibilities you may encounter day to day.

According to data from Lightcast, the nurse practitioner field is expected to grow at 49.06%, with an estimated 28,513 annual job openings. National projections may not reflect local or short-term economic conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

According to Lightcast data, the estimated annual wage for nurse practitioners ranges from approximately $96,000 to $173,000. Earning potential will depend on many factors and may vary; these figures are not to be interpreted as a promise or guarantee of earnings.

Licensure is required to practice as a nurse practitioner, and requirements vary by state. Each state has its own academic preparation and authority to practice requirements and issues its own credential for an RN to be permitted to practice in that state. No graduate program can guarantee licensure, so you should consult the appropriate board of nursing or regulatory authority where you intend to practice to confirm specific requirements.

National certification is generally required to practice as a nurse practitioner, and eligibility criteria vary by specialty and state. Walden's MSN program is designed to academically prepare graduates to apply for national certification, though Walden makes no representations or guarantees that completing its coursework will permit an individual to achieve national certification. You are encouraged to consult an appropriate certifying body, such as the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board at www.aanpcert.org or the American Nurses Credentialing Center at www.nursingworld.org/ancc, for specific eligibility requirements.