Are you planning to become a nurse practitioner or have you already begun and are preparing for the next step? Discover how to become a nurse practitioner
The role of Nurse Practitioners in the UK
The UK defines a nurse practitioner as a level of practise and does not recognise it as a role or job title, even though ANPs do have autonomy and the power to prescribe. These professionals are also referred to as advanced practise nurses or advanced nurse practitioners.
The Nursing and Midwives Council (NMC), which sets the standards for behaviour, performance, and education in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, regulates the nursing and midwifery profession. Despite the nurse practitioner job having been created some 30 years ago, it wasn’t until recently that the NMC established the necessary qualifications for the profession, and the nation is still working to improve its standardisation and definition of the NP.
What is the role of a nurse practitioner?
Patients receive both general and specialty treatment from a nurse practitioner. They are outstanding carers, thanks to their prior nursing expertise, and their higher education enables them to manage duties generally handled by physicians.
Some of their everyday tasks include things like:
- Delivering both primary and urgent care
- Identifying medical conditions
- Medication administration and prescription
- Conducting checks
- Order laboratory tests
- Sending patients to experts
- Carrying out research
- Keeping a record of a patient’s medical background
Steps to follow to become a nurse practitioner
As we saw in the above section, nurse practitioners collaborate closely with other healthcare professionals to diagnose illnesses, write prescriptions, create treatment plans, and more. Their position might be right for you if you can solve problems well and enjoy working with people. The following six steps will help you become a nurse practitioner:
Step 1: Obtain a bachelor’s degree in science in nursing (BSN)
A bachelor’s degree in nursing is required for anyone interested in becoming a nurse practitioner. You can obtain a BSN through the following three ways:
College/University: Earn a BSN by enrolling in a typical four-year college or university.
Accelerated BSN: You are eligible to apply for an accelerated BSN programme if you have a bachelor’s degree in another subject. You can anticipate spending two years finishing an accelerated BSN in addition to the necessary science coursework.
RN-BSN programme: Nurses who have earned an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) are eligible to enroll in an RN-BSN programme. Program length varies.
Step 2: Complete the National Council Licensing Exam (NCLEX)
You must pass the National Council Licensure Exam after receiving your BSN (NCLEX). You can submit an application for a state nursing license once you have passed the national board certification exam.
Step 3: Gain employment experience in nursing
Many professional nursing organisations advise working as a registered nurse for a number of years before enrolling in an MSN programme, even though you can do so directly after earning your BSN.
You might choose a particular area during this work experience while gaining useful practical knowledge. Following that, you can look for nurse practitioner job positions on local job boards, at college career fairs, and with the help of academic advisers.
Step 4: Acquire a graduate degree
The minimal qualification for employment as a nurse practitioner is a master of science in nursing (MSN). An MSN programme can be finished in 18 to 2 years. An extra two to three years of study are needed to seek a doctor of nursing practise (DNP) degree.
Nurse practitioners often focus on a specific patient population while pursuing further degrees. Cardiovascular care, pediatrics, oncology, women’s health, and psychiatry are just a few of the specialties available to nurse practitioners.
Step 5: Clear the national board test for nurse practitioner (NP) certification.
After completing their graduate school, all aspiring nurse practitioners are required to sit for a certification exam. The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and the American Nurses Credentialing Center are the two organisations that provide certification exams (ANCC). Apply to your state licensing board for your NP licence after passing your certification exam. Different states have different requirements.
Step 6: Finish the necessary continuous education.
For their accreditation to remain active, nurse practitioners must earn continuing education credits. States and certification types have different requirements, but most need to be renewed every three to five years.
Things to do to advance your nursing practitioner career
Be sure you engage in some of the following activities to lay the groundwork for a great nurse practitioner career:
- To assist you in selecting the area of expertise to concentrate on, offer your services in several contexts.
- Engage in a variety of social activities to increase your multidisciplinary perspective, which will be beneficial to your future employment as a nurse practitioner.
- To expand your professional network and learn about fresh and developing trends in your field, go to healthcare events and conferences.
Start your nurse practitioner journey right away!
There are many nursing colleges that offer advanced courses that can help you pursue a career as a nurse practitioner. While they help you in achieving your career objectives, at JP Medicals we help jumpstart your career by offering competitive locum nursing jobs with greater flexibility and exciting benefits. Read our website and how we could help you, or get in touch with us by learning more.