A nurse practitioner (NP) is a type of advanced practice registered nurse (ARNP) that provides much of the same preventive and primary care services as a physician. Nurse practitioner jobs are expected to grow by 45% over the next decade — an astounding figure that is much faster than the average for all other occupations. In fact, NP is one of the fastest growing occupations in the country. An estimated additional 118,600 nurse practitioner job openings will need to be filled.
What's causing such extreme growth? The aging of the baby boomer population is a major contributor. Another reason is that team-based healthcare models are being increasingly used by facilities. This model includes APRNs, physician assistants, and other healthcare professionals to provide the care that is traditionally supplied by physicians. Additionally, states are updating laws regarding the practice scope of APRNs, which will allow them to perform more services for patients.
If you're looking for NP jobs, now is a great time to explore the opportunities. Find your next nurse practitioner job on IntelyCare today.
Nurse Practitioner Education and Skills
In order to become an NP, you'll need to earn your bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) and get a passing score on the NCLEX-RN exam. Before you can apply to a nurse practitioner program, you'll need a few years of clinical experience under your belt.
Then, depending on the nursing specialty you choose to pursue, you have two options: earn a masters of science in nursing (MSN) or a doctorate of nursing practice (DNP). These degrees require anywhere from two years to six years, respectively, to complete.
All APRNs must earn an additional nursing license, which means you'll need to pass the national board certification exam. Note that each state has its own requirements, but in general, you will take the exam that is specific to your specialty.
Nurse Practitioner Resume and Cover Letter
When you start applying to the best nurse practitioner jobs, the skills you feature in your resume need to align with the ones included in the job ad. For example, if an employer's requirements say a candidate must be “able to quickly master computerized medical record-keeping and billing systems,” be sure you include that very phrase in your NP resume. In your cover letter, you can mention your experience using medical record-keeping and billing systems.
Not sure what else to put in your cover letter when you're applying to nurse practitioner jobs? Check out our NP cover letter example for inspiration.
Interviewing for NP Jobs
The key to a successful job interview? Preparation. This holds true whether this is your first job or your fifth. Take the time to review some common nursing interview questions and answers before the big day. Think about specific on-the-job experiences from your past that clearly demonstrate your skills and abilities as a nurse practitioner.
Remember, interviewing goes both ways. This is your chance to inquire about benefits, company culture, available resources, and any other aspects of jobs for nurse practitioners that are important to you. The answers can help you determine if the job is a good fit.
Jobs for NPs by Location and Job Type
The nursing field has flexible work options for nurse practitioners. Just to get an idea of where NPs typically work, here's a look at healthcare settings with the highest level of employment for nurse practitioners.
In addition to a wide range of healthcare settings to work in, there are also a variety of work schedules available to you. For example, here's a sampling of the latest jobs for nurse practitioners by schedule and facility type:
- Full-time NP jobs
- Part-time NP jobs
- Per diem NP jobs
- NP outpatient jobs
- NP urgent care clinic jobs
- Remote NP jobs
NP Jobs in Different Nursing Specialties
Nurse Practitioners are in demand across the spectrum of nursing specialties. If you're looking to develop your NP career in a particular nursing specialty, then see the following current job openings:
- Aesthetic NP jobs
- Educator NP jobs
- ER NP jobs
- Home health NP jobs
- Hospice NP jobs
- ICU NP jobs
- Med-surg NP jobs
- New grad NP jobs
- OB/GYN NP jobs
- Oncology NP jobs
- OR NP jobs
- PACU NP jobs
- PCU NP jobs
- Pediatric NP jobs
- Psych NP jobs
- Telehealth NP jobs
- Telemetry NP jobs
- Travel NP jobs
- Wound Care NP jobs
Salary for a Nurse Practitioner Job
The average nurse practitioner salary is $128,490 per year. Your pay can vary depending on your education level, years of experience, the state in which you work, and the facility itself.
Demand can also affect a nurse practitioner salary. For example, Florida and Tennessee are among the five states that employ the most NPs, but the average pay in both locations is lower than in New Jersey and Oregon, which are among the five states that pay the most to NPs.
To get a better idea of NP salaries available to you in different areas, here's a list of the top states for NP salaries, broken down by average hourly wages:
- California: $77.66/hour
- Nevada: $71.48/hour
- Washington: $69.90/hour
- New Jersey: $69.73/hour
- Oregon: $69.69/hour
Get a Great NP Job on IntelyCare
There are lots of nurse practitioner jobs available right now. IntelyCare makes it easy to get matched with the best NP jobs in your area. Get started today.