Becoming A Nurse Practitioner
One of the most highly demanded arenas in the world is the nursing field. They are highly educated and accountable as the main contact to a patient. Many individuals have queries about becoming an expert in nursing. One of the most asked questions is ‘how long does it take to become a nurse practitioner?’ It takes years of exercise and schooling to become a proficient in this field and it is one of the most commendable occupations of all time.
Working in the health and medical care sector is highly appreciated in many governments and countries because it is a service sector which helps people for the better. Deep knowledge in medical aspects such as diagnosis and drugs are required in this field. Nurse practitioners go through the basic and intermediate levels of medicinal training and from there onwards, most of them specialize in different fields such as pediatrics, obstetrics, acute care, oncology, and intensive care medicine.
Who is a Nurse Practitioner?
A nurse practitioner is a medical expert who is qualified in interpreting diagnosis, consulting patients, assessing recovery plans, and conducting medical tests. They are also eligible in prescribing medicine to a certain level because they are highly trained and given knowledge. Licensed or registered nurses are required to follow the state law of medical concerns and follow all protocol in the country they practice in. Nurse practitioners usually work hand-in-hand with medicinal doctors and thus have a deeper knowledge in medicine, even though medical doctors are equipped with higher trainings.
How long does it take to become a nurse practitioner?
When someone asks the above question, it is necessary to understand that it has many answers depending on what specialization he or she is focusing on, which country is she studying in, and where he or she wants to practice. Even after completing education, it takes a certain amount of training to successfully become a nurse practitioner.
As a start, a student should complete Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN). It takes four years to complete the degree. Some colleges and universities offer trainings after completion of the degree program to help them become registered nurses at the National Council. Once that is completed, there are a few requirements an intended nurse practitioner should adhere to. They are considered advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) and therefore, there is a series of trainings and qualifications he or she should obtain.
Registered Nurse License (RN License), Master’s Degree, and APRN certificate are the main academic and professional qualifications required apart from the bachelor’s degree. Obtaining RN License takes between 2 to 4 years because the student has to be certified from the National Council Licensure Examination. Master’s degree is the next step of bachelor’s degree and the specialized field can be chosen in this step. APRN certificate generally takes less than a year because it is mostly an online procedure. Altogether, it takes 4 to 7 years to complete the education and training required to become a nurse practitioner.
Myths and misconceptions of nurse practitioners
Patients often think that nurse practitioners do not work in specialized areas. They very much practice in specialized fields and they are highly trained in their fields. People also think that nurse practitioner cannot prescribe medicine. But the truth of the matter is, they can, depending on the case. Another misconception about nurse practitioners is that, people often think that they only work in hospitals. They do not only work in hospitals. They work in many other places including their own.
In conclusion, nurse practitioners are highly demanded and extremely commended in any society because of the special trainings they go through and the service they provide. To become one, you need to fully commit yourself to learning from the basics to a great level of medical practice. For some, enterprise is their passion. For some, working in the service sector is the passion. What more can bring job satisfaction, knowing that you are part of making a human’s life better? Not only you need dedication, you need love and passion for the field because once you are qualified, you deal with humans who are in need of your professional help. How long does it take to become a nurse practitioner? It totally depends on which path you want to go, but the fundamental stages are described above.
