I am a student at the University of Idaho. I am also involved as an officer at my sorority. I go to class every day. When I get home I work on homework then take care of my obligations for my sorority. During the summer I have worked at a nursing home for the past 4 1/2 years. I would go to work every day knowing that 14 people's lives were literately in my hands. It's a great feeling but at the same time death is something I have to face in that career and that is always hard to cope with.
CAREER
Nurse Practitioners
Overview
Salary Median (2020)
$111,680
Projected Job Growth (2019-2029)
+52.4% (much faster than the average)
Most Common Level of Education
Master's degree
Career
Roadtrip Nation Leaders in This Career
What Nurse Practitioners Do
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.
Other Job Titles Nurse Practitioners May Have
ACNP (Acute Care Nurse Practitioner), ARNP Specialist (Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner Specialist), Adult Nurse Practitioner, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Family Practice Certified Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner, Gastroenterology Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Practitioner (NP), Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP), Women's Health Care Nurse Practitioner
How Leaders Describe a Typical Day at Work
I work with women who choose to be very open about who they are and what they are dealing with in being themselves.
Tasks & Responsibilities May 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.
Education
Level of Education Attained by Nurse Practitioners
Most common level of education among people in
this career: Master's degree (75%)
Bachelor's degree
Master's degree
Doctoral or professional degree
Other*
*All other responses combined for clarity.
Majors Related to Career
Educational Paths Suggested by Leaders
Suggested Path
Graduate
Geriatric Nurse/Nursing
Suggested Path
High School
Bachelor
Nursing Practice
Graduate
Nurse Midwife/Nursing Midwifery
Additional Skills & Experiences That Can Help You Excel
Unfortunately University of Idaho does not offer the study of geriatrics. If a person was wanting to pursue my career goal I would suggest for them to go to a college that does.
Learn to be a human being in a community of others.
Getting Started
Recommended First Step for:
High School Students
I would definitely recommend to a student in High School to take a Certified Nursing Student program if it is available through their High School. It is a great certificate to have and looks good on all job resumes. I did not get mine in high school and that was a big mistake. It's also good to know you can save a life at any given time in public from simply knowing CPR or clotting blood.
Appreciate the time it takes to get clear with yourself.
There is much more involved than institutional "education" to be able to be helpful.
See yourself. Take responsibility for what is yours. Learn compassion for being imperfect.
Appreciate the effort to be honest in becoming yourself.
College Students
This page includes information from theO*NET 26.1 Databaseby the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under theCC BY 4.0license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
