Everything About A Nurse Practitioner Career
You think about becoming a nurse practitioner but want to get additional information before making your final career choice?
Great! This article is exactly for you since I will show you everything you need to know about being a nurse practitioner in the following chapters.
Not only will you get information on how much you can make as a nurse practitioner, but we will also talk about job satisfaction, future outlook, work-life balance, educational requirements, duties, responsibilities and much more.
You will also find an FAQ section where I answer the most common questions about working as a nurse practitioner at the end of this article.
After reading this article, you will have a much better idea of whether you still want to become a nurse practitioner or rather want to go for a different career instead.
Without further ado, let’s get right into it!
Table of Contents
What does a Nurse Practitioner do?
Nurse practitioners work in hospitals or doctor’s offices and make sure that patients get everything they need to get healthy as soon as possible.
Compared to regular nurses, nurse practitioners have more responsibility and are also allowed to do some additional tasks.
Hence, while nurse practitioners are at a lower level compared to regular doctors, they still have a higher standing than regular nurses.
Responsibilities & Duties of a Nurse Practitioner
- Caring for patients
- Making sure that patients get the right treatment
- Making sure that patients recover as soon as possible
- Prescribing drugs
- Prescribing treatments
- Diagnosing diseases
- Controlling whether patients follow their drug plans or not
- Doing medical checkups
- Giving people advice on how to avoid burnout and other mental issues
- Advising patients on nutrition
- Advise patients on how they can stay healthy in the long run
- Treating chronic disorders
What a Typical Day of a Nurse Practitioner looks like?
Nurse practitioners start their workday by having a look at their schedule and talking to doctors about what they are responsible for that day.
After doing some organizational work, nurse practitioners care for many clients.
Not only will they treat symptoms, but they will also have to find solutions and medications for complex health issues so that patients can recover as soon as possible.
In order to get the trust of your patients, you have to be pretty empathetic and know how the human mind works.
You should also be friendly and outgoing and also have a passion for healing people to stay happy with what you are doing in the long run.
After working with patients for many hours, you will finish your shift and get back home to recover from work and to spend some time with your loved ones.
Nurse Practitioner Salary 2023
Nurse Practitioner salary brackets 2023
| Salary Brackets | Salary (per year) | Salary (per hour) |
|---|---|---|
| Top 10 % | > $132,000 | > $65.92 |
| Top 25 % | $107,000 – $119,000 | $53.41 – $59.45 |
| Bottom 25 % | $75,000 – $83,000 | $37.39 – $41.48 |
| Bottom 10 % | $58,000 – $64,000 | $28.93 – $31.96 |
| Range | $58,000 – $143,000 | $28.93 – $71.49 |
| Average (Mean) | $92,000 | $45.89 |
| Median | $89,000 | $44.42 |
Nurse Practitioner salary 2023 by expert level
| Level of Experience | Salary (per year) | Salary (per hour) |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | $58,000 – $69,000 | $28.93 – $34.42 |
| Junior | $66,000 – $82,000 | $32.95 – $40.89 |
| Professional | $80,000 – $94,000 | $39.88 – $46.91 |
| Senior Professional | $91,000 – $112,000 | $45.43 – $55.97 |
| Expert | $108,000 – $121,000 | $53.91 – $60.44 |
| Top Expert | $117,000 – $143,000 | $58.39 – $71.49 |
Nurse Practitioner salary by state 2023 (average)
| State | Salary (per year) | Salary (per hour) |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $86,200 | $43.08 |
| Alaska | $83,400 | $41.69 |
| Arizona | $89,100 | $44.52 |
| Arkansas | $90,300 | $45.13 |
| California | $102,800 | $51.38 |
| Colorado | $93,100 | $46.54 |
| Connecticut | $89,400 | $44.67 |
| Delaware | $82,700 | $41.34 |
| District of Columbia | $97,200 | $48.58 |
| Florida | $99,600 | $49.77 |
| Georgia | $85,300 | $42.63 |
| Guam | $87,100 | $43.54 |
| Hawaii | $92,800 | $46.36 |
| Idaho | $86,200 | $43.09 |
| Illinois | $88,500 | $44.23 |
| Indiana | $83,100 | $41.54 |
| Iowa | $84,900 | $42.42 |
| Kansas | $81,800 | $40.89 |
| Kentucky | $87,700 | $43.83 |
| Louisiana | $85,300 | $42.64 |
| Maine | $89,800 | $44.87 |
| Maryland | $92,200 | $46.08 |
| Massachusetts | $90,500 | $45.23 |
| Michigan | $87,100 | $43.54 |
| Minnesota | $84,800 | $42.37 |
| Mississippi | $86,200 | $43.08 |
| Missouri | $83,100 | $41.54 |
| Montana | $89,400 | $44.68 |
| Nebraska | $88,200 | $44.09 |
| Nevada | $91,300 | $45.63 |
| New Hampshire | $94,800 | $47.37 |
| New Jersey | $96,100 | $48.03 |
| New Mexico | $83,200 | $41.58 |
| New York | $104,700 | $52.34 |
| North Carolina | $86,200 | $43.08 |
| North Dakota | $89,300 | $44.63 |
| Ohio | $91,100 | $45.52 |
| Oklahoma | $92,500 | $46.24 |
| Oregon | $94,800 | $47.38 |
| Pennsylvania | $92,700 | $46.33 |
| Rhode Island | $89,500 | $44.72 |
| South Carolina | $88,300 | $44.13 |
| South Dakota | $90,400 | $45.18 |
| Tennessee | $87,800 | $43.87 |
| Texas | $89,600 | $44.79 |
| Utah | $91,900 | $45.93 |
| Vermont | $90,200 | $45.08 |
| Virginia | $88,300 | $44.13 |
| Washington | $92,700 | $46.34 |
| West Virginia | $91,500 | $45.73 |
| Wisconsin | $88,300 | $44.12 |
| Wyoming | $85,800 | $42.88 |
Job Security of Nurse Practitioners
Nurse practitioners have pretty decent job security.
Since they are in high demand right now and educational barriers to entry to work in this position are pretty high, not many people can do this job.
Consequently, you don’t have to fear losing your job and if you do for some reason, chances are that you will find a new job pretty soon.
Future Outlook of Nurse Practitioners
Since our world population is growing at rapid speed and life expectancy of people increases, the demand for medical treatment will increase as well over the next years and decades.
Hence, the demand for nurse practitioners is going to increase as well and you will have excellent job prospects in the future.
Working Hours of Nurse Practitioners
If you work day shifts as a nurse practitioner, you will usually start your workday between 8 and 10 a.m. and finish your workday between 4 and 6 p.m.
If you work night shifts, you will usually start your workday between 6 and 8 p.m. and finish your workday between 4 and 6 a.m.
Thus, you should be quite flexible regarding your working hours if you want to stay happy with your job as a nurse practitioner in the long run.
Job Satisfaction of Nurse Practitioners
Most nurse practitioners are pretty happy with what they are doing for a living since they can make pretty good money and can help many people.
However, working as a nurse practitioner can still be hard since you will have lots of responsibility and you might also have to work at nighttime.
Promotion Opportunities of Nurse Practitioners
Once you work as a nurse practitioner, you are already at a pretty high career level since you will have a higher standing than regular nurses and only doctors will have a higher standing than you.
However, in order to become a doctor, you would need to get a doctor’s degree and many nurse practitioners therefore don’t go this career path but rather stay at this career level since they are already able to make good money and are happy with what they are doing for a living.
Career Levels of Nurse Practitioners
- Nurse
- Nurse practitioner
- Nurse practitioner with personnel responsibilities
- Nurse practitioner leading a team of nurses
- Nurse practitioner with special responsibilities
Fields and Types of Nurse Practitioners
- Pediatric nurse practitioner
- Family nurse practitioner
- Mental health nurse practitioner
- Nurse practitioners focused on physical health problems
- Nurse practitioners with expertise in regular medical treatment
- Nurse practitioners specialized in alternative medical treatment
- Nurse practitioners working in doctor’s offices
- Nurse practitioners working in hospitals
- Nurse practitioners doing day shifts
- Nurse practitioners working night shifts
Educational Requirements for Nurse Practitioners
For becoming a nurse practitioner, you have to become a registered nurse, get a bachelor’s degree in nursing and complete a master’s or doctor’s program in nursing or a related field.
Moreover, to be able to work as an official nurse practitioner, you also have to pass a national board certification exam.
Consequently, you have to put in lots of time and money on education for becoming a nurse practitioner and you should make sure that this is really what you want to do for quite a long time to make it worth the initial investment.
How to become a Nurse Practitioner
- Inform yourself about the advantages and disadvantages of being a nurse practitioner
- Get your high school diploma
- Become a registered nurse
- Apply for a bachelor’s degree in nursing
- Finish your bachelor’s degree and apply for a master’s degree in nursing
- Finish your master’s degree
- Pass the national board certification exam
- Apply for jobs as a nurse practitioner
- Master the job interview
- Sign your labor contract
Character Traits you need as a Nurse Practitioner
- You should be friendly so that your patients like you
- You should be outgoing to figure out what’s going on with your clients
- Passion for healing patients helps you stay happy with your job in the long run
- Ability to deal with pressure in an emotionally healthy manner
- You should not get discouraged by drawbacks
- You need a strong mindset
- Ability to deal with difficult patients
- You should be willing to do unpleasant work
- You should be able to stay calm in tense situations
- You should be good at dealing with people in general
- Empathy for people who experience the most difficult times of their lives
- You should be a good listener
Hard Skills for Nurse Practitioners
- Excellent medical education
- Ability to diagnose diseases in a precise manner
- Ability to treat and heal many different diseases
- Knowledge of how to treat mental diseases become increasingly important
- Expertise in using latest medical technologies and advancements
- Good problem-solving skills are a plus
- Knowledge of latest medical studies
- Knowledge of legal rules and regulations related to working in a medical environment
- Knowledge of hygienic requirements
Soft Skills for Nurse Practitioners
- Empathy for desperate patients
- Good communications skills help you lead a team of nurses
- Ability to calm patients down during difficult situations
- Ability to tell people the harsh truth about their medical standing
- You should be able to deal with stress in an emotionally healthy manner
- You should be passionate about improving the quality of life of people
- You should know how the human mind works
- Ability to convince people about certain treatments
- You should be able to gain the trust of your patients
Exit Options for Nurse Practitioners
Since nurse practitioners are pretty specialized in what they are doing, they have pretty poor exit options.
While you could work as a nurse or get additional education and become a doctor, you will have a hard time finding a job outside the medical industry.
Nurse Practitioner – Similar Careers
- Nurse
- Doctor
- Dentist
- Salesperson for medical equipment
- Chiropractor
- Pharmacist
- Physician
- Researcher
- Occupational therapist
- Life coach
- Teacher
- Professor
Nurse Practitioner Career FAQs
Is working as a nurse practitioner physically demanding?
Working as a nurse practitioner can be physically demanding since you will have to treat many different patients per day and you will also have to walk quite a lot to get from one room to the other.
Moreover, some examinations also involve a physical component and you should therefore be in good physical condition to do this job in the long run, even though you will not have to work in the same heavy physical manner as plumbers or fallers.
Is working as a nurse practitioner mentally demanding?
Working as a nurse practitioner can be mentally demanding since you will have to deal with new patients on a regular basis and no case will be the same.
In fact, you have to use your brain quite a lot to figure out what’s wrong with your patients and how to cure them.
Moreover, you will also have to deal with significant emotional pressure since mistakes on your side may take away the lives of your patients.
Is it dangerous to work as a nurse practitioner?
Being a nurse practitioner is not overly dangerous.
While you will work in a medical environment and may get infected with diseases of your patients sooner or later, you will still not be at the same great risk at work compared to policemen or firemen who risk their lives on a regular basis.
How long do nurse practitioners stay in their jobs?
Nurse practitioners often stay in their jobs for decades since they really love what they are doing while they can still make good money at the same time.
Moreover, many nurse practitioners are also pretty specialized and have a hard time finding a job outside of the medical industry.
Is it easy for nurse practitioners to find a new job?
Since our world population is growing and people get older, the demand for nurse practitioners skyrocketed over the past years and this trend will likely continue in the future.
Consequently, you will have excellent job prospects and will have a pretty easy time finding a new job as a nurse practitioner.
Is it hard to switch from being a nurse practitioner to another field of work?
While nurse practitioners have excellent job prospects within the medical industry, they are still pretty specialized and have a hard time finding a job in a different field since they often lack the skills to do so.
Do nurse practitioners have a high social status?
Nurse practitioners enjoy decent social status.
While they don’t have the same high social standing as doctors, nurse practitioners still have a higher standing than registered nurses and many people will therefore envy you for your fancy career.
Moreover, you can do good for many people on a regular basis and many people out there will admire you and appreciate what you do for them.
Can you help out your family and friends as a nurse practitioner?
As a nurse practitioner, you will also be able to help out your loved ones in case they get sick and need proper medical advice.
In fact, you will be able to diagnose and cure many minor issues.
In turn, your friends will not have to see a doctor and can rather be treated at home in a more comfortable manner.
Can nurse practitioners work remotely?
Nurse practitioners are not able to work remotely. You will have to be present at your workplace in person to diagnose diseases and to treat your patients properly.
Thus, this means that you will be less flexible and will also have to spend more time and money commuting to work and back compared to someone who works in a regular office job and will be able to work from home quite often.
Is it easy to find a partner as a nurse practitioner?
Nurse practitioners have a rather easy time in the dating market since they are able to make good money from their jobs and also have excellent job security.
Hence, they are considered good providers and excellent candidates for a long-term relationship.
Do nurse practitioners have to work on weekends?
Nurse practitioners sometimes also have to work on weekends.
In fact, patients need treatment 24/7 on 7 days per week and if you are unlucky, you may have to work weekend shifts and may not be able to do nice weekend trips with your family.
Do nurse practitioners have to work on holidays?
Nurse practitioners sometimes also have to work on holidays.
Your schedule may also change rather frequently and you should therefore be quite flexible in this regard to stay happy with your job as a nurse practitioner in the long run.
Do nurse practitioners have to work at nighttime?
Nurse practitioners also often have to work at nighttime.
If you are responsible for night shifts, you will work all night long and while other people sleep, you will be responsible for assuring the safety of your patients.
Do you have to travel as a nurse practitioner?
You don’t have to travel as a nurse practitioner.
While many other people like consultants who work in the corporate world have to make business trips and will be away from home quite often, you as a nurse practitioner will be able to spend lots of time at home with your family.
Are nurse practitioner pensions good?
Thanks to their good salaries, nurse practitioners also receive pretty decent pensions.
Moreover, they are also able to save and invest some money during their active careers and once they retire, most nurse practitioners are still able to pay their bills and don’t have to worry about getting into financial trouble.
Are nurse practitioner salaries going up?
Nurse practitioner salaries have been going up significantly over the past years and this trend will likely continue in the future since there is a huge shortage of qualified nurse practitioners in many regions and the demand for medical treatment will continue to increase in the future.
Can you have a positive impact on society as a nurse practitioner?
You can have a big positive impact on society as a nurse practitioner since you can heal many patients and also advise them on how to live a healthier life.
In turn, people will become more aware of nutrition and health and will also be more likely to convince their loved ones to live a healthier lifestyle as well.
How long does it take to become a nurse practitioner?
Since you will have to become a registered nurse and also get a master’s or even doctor’s degree to work as a nurse practitioner, it will take you many years to be able to work in this position and you will also have to spend lots of money on your education.
Is it difficult to become a nurse practitioner?
Becoming a nurse practitioner is not easy since you will have to get lots of formal education and you will also have to pass a tough national exam before you are able to work in this field.
Hence, you should be willing to work hard and also need a strong mindset to push for it until your reach your goal.
Do you need to be smart to work as a nurse practitioner?
While you don’t need to be a genius to become a nurse practitioner, having a high IQ still helps you get all the necessary educational qualifications and also helps you pass exams.
Thus, the smarter you are, the easier it will be for you to become a nurse practitioner and the faster you may be able to achieve this goal.
Do nurse practitioners have a good work-life balance?
Since nurse practitioners sometimes have to work on holidays and often have to work in the evening or at nighttime, they will have rather poor work-life balance and it may be hard for them to manage their private and their professional life at the same time.
Do nurse practitioners have to work many extra hours?
Nurse practitioners don’t have to work many extra hours.
Instead, they have a rather rigid schedule and once their shift is over, another nurse practitioner will do your work and you will be able to get home and don’t have to work much overtime.
How to maximize your chances of becoming a nurse practitioner?
The more ambitious you are and the more work you put into your education, the more likely it will be that you will finally reach your goal of becoming a nurse practitioner.
You should also be able to deal with drawbacks in an emotionally healthy manner so that you don’t quit before you reach your career goal.
Can nurse practitioners work part-time?
Nurse practitioners may also be able to work part-time.
However, most of them still work full-time since they really love what they are doing and also want to make as much money as possible from their jobs.
Do nurse practitioners work indoors or outdoors?
Nurse practitioners work indoors most of the time.
Hence, you don’t have to worry about adverse weather conditions outdoors as would be the case if you worked as a garbage collector or roofer.
What does the workplace of a nurse practitioner look like?
As a nurse practitioner, you will either work in a hospital or doctor’s office and you will be surrounded by sick people on a regular basis.
Moreover, you will also have to deal with medical devices all day long and if you don’t like this style of work, you should not become a nurse practitioner and just go for a different career option.
Do you have to look good for working as a nurse practitioner?
You don’t need to look good as a nurse practitioner.
What’s much more important is that people trust you and that you have excellent knowledge of how to treat and heal them.
Is a nurse practitioner career beneficial for your private life?
Since you will have to work on weekends and at nighttime on a regular basis, being a nurse practitioner will not be greatly beneficial for your private life since you will be away from your family quite often and may not see your loved ones as often as you might wish.
Do you need a college degree for becoming a nurse practitioner?
You need at least a master’s degree in nursing or a related field to become a nurse practitioner.
Some nurse practitioners even hold a doctor’s degree and you should therefore be prepared to spend many years on education before you are able to achieve your dream of becoming a nurse practitioner.
Do you need to be certified to work as a nurse practitioner?
You also have to pass an official national exam before you are able to work as a nurse practitioner.
Hence, becoming a nurse practitioner is not easy and you have to put lots of work into it.
How much does it cost to become a nurse practitioner?
Since you will have to spend many years on college education, you will also have to spend lots of money on it.
In fact, it is not uncommon for nurse practitioners to spend a six-figure amount on their studies and they often also have to take on student loans to finance their degrees.
Is being a nurse practitioner a good career?
Working as a nurse practitioner can be considered a good career since you can make good money from what you are doing and you can also help many people at the same time.
However, you should also be prepared for working rather exotic hours and if you want to work in a regular 9 to 5 job, you should rather aspire to a career as a financial controller or accountant instead of becoming a nurse practitioner.
Is it easy to start your own business as a nurse practitioner?
It is pretty hard to start your own business as a nurse practitioner since you will be pretty specialized and competition in the medical industry is pretty fierce.
Hence, if your dream is to start your own business and to work self-employed in the future, you should rather become a digital marketer or work in a different field where it is much easier to achieve this dream.
Can nurse practitioners teach themselves?
Nurse practitioners learn many things on the job.
However, they still need to get lots of formal education and have to pass many exams before they are officially able to work as a nurse practitioner.
Hence, teaching yourself will not be enough to be able to work in this industry.
Do nurse practitioners make good money?
Nurse practitioners can make decent money from what they are doing.
In fact, some of them are even able to make a six-figure income and if you are willing to work hard, you can really make a nice career in this field.
Is it ever too late to become a nurse practitioner?
While it is never too late to become a nurse practitioner, you still have to get lots of formal education to be able to work in this position and since it will take you many years and also lots of money, you should become a nurse practitioner at a rather early age to make it worth the investment.
Do nurse practitioners have to quit their careers early?
Since working as a nurse practitioner can be pretty stressful, some nurse practitioners have to quit their careers early due to mental or emotional health issues and have to work in a different field.
What is the hardest thing about working as a nurse practitioner?
The hardest part about being a nurse practitioner is that you have high levels of responsibility since mistakes on your side could cause serious problems for your patients and you have to deal with this emotional pressure on a regular basis, which also makes it pretty hard to unplug from work and to relax after your workday is over.
Can you provide for your family by working as a nurse practitioner?
Since you can make decent money from a nurse practitioner career, you will also have a rather easy time providing for your family and your spouse may not have to work but may rather be able to stay at home and care for the kids.
Will nurse practitioners suffer from old-age poverty?
Most nurse practitioners don’t suffer from old-age poverty since they receive decent pensions and are also able to save and invest enough money during their active careers so that they don’t get into financial trouble once they quit their active careers and retire.
Can nurse practitioners retire early?
While nurse practitioners are able to make decent money from what they are doing, most of them still don’t make enough to retire early and rather have to work until official retirement age while doctors or judges are often able to retire much sooner.
Do nurse practitioners get a fixed or variable salary?
Nurse practitioners often get a fixed salary and this means that you will have a pretty stable income compared to car dealers or other salespeople whose income greatly depends on the volume of transactions and is therefore hardly predictable and vulnerable to huge swings.
Can you get rich as a nurse practitioner?
While you can make good money, it is still almost impossible to get rich as a nurse practitioner.
Hence, if you want to make really great money, you should rather become a doctor or judge or start your own business instead of working as an employed nurse practitioner.
Do nurse practitioners need a second job?
Nurse practitioners don’t need a second job to pay their bills.
Instead, they are easily able to make enough money from what they are doing to afford a decent lifestyle.
Do you get continuous training as a nurse practitioner?
As a nurse practitioner, you will also get lots of training on a regular basis since medical technology and knowledge always changes and you need to stay up-to-date with those developments.
Moreover, you will also learn many things on the job and the harder you work, the better you will be at what you are doing in the long run.
Do you get sick pay as a nurse practitioner?
Nurse practitioners often get sick pay.
However, if you are not sure in this regard, you should ask nurse practitioners in your region to get additional information on whether you get paid in case you get sick or not.
Do nurse practitioners have a high level of responsibility?
Nurse practitioners have a pretty high level of responsibility since their mistakes could lead to serious adverse outcomes and may even take away the lives of people.
Hence, you will have to deal with lots of emotional pressure at work.
Can nurse practitioners work abroad?
Nurse practitioners are needed all over the world.
However, educational requirements may still greatly vary across the globe and also salaries and overall working conditions might be quite different from what you are used to at home and you should inform yourself in this regard if you really plan to move abroad to avoid any unpleasant issues in this regard.
Is it stressful to work as a nurse practitioner?
Working as a nurse practitioner can be stressful since you will have to deal with high workloads and will also have to deal with high levels of emotional pressure and if you are not able to deal with those things in a healthy manner, you should rather go for a career in a classical office job to be able to work in a more relaxed environment.
Is it boring to work as a nurse practitioner?
Working as a nurse practitioner is not boring at all. You will experience many new things on the job on a regular basis and if you are passionate about helping people, it will be your mission to get to work with a smile and to work as hard as possible to get the best results.
Is being a nurse practitioner hard?
Working as a nurse practitioner can be hard on an emotional level since you will have to deal with lots of adversity and also have to deal with significant mental and emotional pressure.
Are nurse practitioners at risk of burnout?
Since nurse practitioners have to deal with lots of stress and pressure at work, they are also at significant risk of burnout and if you want to have a rather relaxed job where you don’t have to deal with those issues, you should rather become a carpenter or work in another standard 9 to 5 job.
Is there a dress code for nurse practitioners?
Nurse practitioners often wear medical scrubs and you will get your workwear from the doctor’s office or the hospital you work for and therefore don’t have to worry about dressing up for work at all.
What kind of nurse practitioners are paid the most?
The more experience you get in this field and the longer you are working in your job, the more you can make as a nurse practitioner.
You can also boost your income by getting expertise in some exotic fields not many other people have knowledge about since you will become more valuable to your employer and can therefore demand a higher salary.
What percentage of nurse practitioners are women?
Around 91% of all nurse practitioners are women while only 9% are men.
While this industry is still dominated by women, an increasing number of men aspire to a career as a nurse practitioner and percentages may be more balanced in the future.
Do I need a mentor to succeed as a nurse practitioner?
While you don’t necessarily need a mentor to succeed as a nurse practitioner, it can still help to have an experienced colleague on your side who can support you during difficult times of your life when you may want to give up your dream of becoming a nurse practitioner.
Will you be personally liable for mistakes as a nurse practitioner?
You may be personally liable for mistakes you make as a nurse practitioner in some cases.
However, to be on the safe side in this regard, you should consult a lawyer and also get proper insurance.
Do nurse practitioners have a high life expectancy?
Nurse practitioners have pretty decent life expectancy since they learn a lot about health and nutrition and are therefore much better able to live a healthy lifestyle compared to the average person out there.
Do nurse practitioners suffer from sleeping problems?
Nurse practitioners often suffer from sleeping problems since they often have to work at nighttime and are not able able to maintain a healthy sleeping pattern.
Moreover, many nurse practitioners are also not able to unplug from work and make the problems of their patients their own problems which often prevent them from falling asleep at night.
What states are best for working as a nurse practitioner?
If you want to make as much money as possible from your nurse practitioner career, you should work where people have the most disposable income to spend on healthcare and this is often the case in New York or California.
Who do nurse practitioners work with?
Nurse practitioners work with many different patients every day.
Hence, it is crucial that you are a friendly and trustworthy person so that you are able to build a strong relationship with your patients so that they trust in your judgement and in your expertise.
Is working as a nurse practitioner cool?
Working as a nurse practitioner is not considered cool by the majority of the general public.
If you really want to be admired by people, you should become a doctor instead since you will have a much higher social standing.
Can you start a side hustle as a nurse practitioner?
It will be hard for you to start a side hustle as a nurse practitioner since you are pretty specialized in what you are doing and will often lack the skills to build something in a completely different field.
Do you have to be creative as a nurse practitioner?
You don’t need to be overly creative as a nurse practitioner.
What’s much more important is that you have excellent medical knowledge and also know how to gain the trust of your patients.
Do nurse practitioners suffer from being overweight?
Since nurse practitioners exercise quite a lot during work, they burn enough calories and also know enough about proper nutrition.
In turn, many nurse practitioners are pretty fit and don’t suffer from being overweight.
How employable are nurse practitioners?
Nurse practitioners are pretty employable since they are in high demand right now and this trend will likely continue in the future since due to our increasing world population and increasing life expectancy of people, the demand for medical treatment will likely continue to increase in the future.
Are nurse practitioners happy with their jobs?
While most nurse practitioners are happy with their salaries and their duties, many of them are not happy with their working hours and all the stress that comes along at work.
Hence, whether you get happy as a nurse practitioner greatly depends on your character and your mindset.
Is working as a nurse practitioner exciting?
Working as a nurse practitioner can be exciting since you will experience many new things every day and if you are really passionate about helping people, you will often be happy to get to work and may never get bored with your job at all.
Can you have a positive impact on our environment as a nurse practitioner?
Nurse practitioners don’t have a significant positive impact on our environment since they just don’t work in a field where they could make a true positive stand for our planet.
What are the pros and cons of working as a nurse practitioner?
If you still think about becoming a nurse practitioner, you should also have a look at additional pros and cons of a nurse practitioner career.
Sources
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1226930/number-of-nurse-practitioners-in-the-united-states/
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1226928/hourly-wage-of-nurse-practitioners-in-the-united-states/
Interviews and own research.
About the author
My name is Andreas and my mission is to educate people about the different career paths that are possible in our current state of the world. In my opinion, people often make the mistake to choose their profession solely based on how much money they can earn from it instead of doing what makes them really happy.
This is quite sad and I just want to give people a more objective picture of how a fulfilling career could look like. I did the same when I started working in consulting after finishing my Master’s degree in Economics. However, I’ve quit pretty soon after that since I haven’t found true meaning in my job.
Now I can do what I really love to do and I want to enable as many other people as well to go this exciting path towards happiness instead of money.
I conducted various interviews with employees to give you a good impression of what working in different fields will look like and that you can make the best possible decision regarding your future career choice.
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