Presentation

Job Title: Nurse Practitioner

Describe the range of job descriptions your profession has: You can be a NP for any type of specialty. There’s Oncology NP, Adult NP, Neonatal NP, Holistic NP, Psychiatric NP, Emergency NP, etc.
Job Description: A simple way to describe the duties of a nurse practitioner is that they are the midpoint between a doctor and your physician. They perform routine check-ups to patients, are able to diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries, but are unable to prescribe medication on their own (they need a licensed doctor to sign off).

Credentials: To become a Nurse Practitioner, you need to first obtain your bachelor’s degree in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited university and then pass the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX-RN) to obtain your RN license. Most graduate schools won’t accept you unless you have experience under your belt, so your best bet is either to work a couple years at a hospital or a clinic.

Graduate school is absolutely necessary to become a NP and the better the school you go to, the better your chance is of getting a job. Great graduate schools require at least one year of experience, a high score on your GRE, and a personal statement. After receiving your MSN, you need to get certified in the state you want to practice in. To obtain your NP license, you need to pass the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners certification examination.

What kinds of writing do individuals in this profession do?
Writing isn’t one of the top credentials needed in order to enter the field, but regardless one does need know how to write. Nurse Practitioners use writing for documentation purposes and developing patient care plans routinely.

How can you prepare yourself for this kind of writing?

The daily writing isn’t tedious, but everything has to be documented. A good idea is to keep a diary or journal.

What are some of the obstacles?

• · It’s competitive – especially getting into a great grad school.
• · The amount of certifications and exams you need to pass.

What are some creative ways to give yourself an “edge” for entering your profession?

• · Having a great personal statement for graduate school.
• · Getting experience by working for a non-profit organization. Showing you’ll do the job regardless of the paycheck shows passion and dedication – a quality needed in this field.