Nurse Practitioner

Overview

Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are registered nurses (RNs) with advanced training in a specific specialty. These highly educated healthcare professionals provide a higher level of care and take on more responsibilities than a typical RN.

NPs may choose from many different specialty areas, depending on their interests. Some examples include acute care, women’s health, primary care, oncology, gerontology, psychiatry, geriatrics, palliative care, pediatrics, emergency medicine, cardiology, addiction medicine, mental health, pediatrics, endocrinology, and others.

Because of their advanced training, Nurse Practitioners can serve as both primary care providers and specialists. They work closely with patients and families to deliver a blend of nursing and healthcare services. NPs can diagnose and treat illnesses, order tests, and prescribe medications.

In New York State, Nurse Practitioners must have a collaborative agreement with a physician. This agreement means that NPs and doctors work together, but NPs do not have to be supervised by that doctor. They can make importance decisions about patient care on their own.

Work Environment

Nurse Practitioners work in a wide variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, and ambulatory care centers, where they see patients with many different health needs. Others work in doctors’ offices, specialty practices, long-term care facilities, or provide care in patient homes through home health services.

Some NPs take on additional roles as educators. Others become administrators, helping to run healthcare organizations, or researchers, studying ways to improve patient care and health outcomes.

Demand

The need for nurse practitioners is expected to increase 38% between 2022 and 2032.

Salary

The median salary range for a nurse practitioner, as stated by the New York State Department of Labor, for the Capital Region, Central New York, and the Finger Lakes, is $119,747 – $128,655.