Adult Nurse Practitioner Career
Though adults and elderly patients are the primary focus of an Adult Nurse Practitioner’s (ANP) practice, Adult NPs are trained to care for patients 12 years old and up. Adult nurse practitioners work in a variety of settings including private practice, group provider clinics, community health clinics, hospitals, prisons, specialty practice offices (depending on their area of focus), urgent care, home health care agencies, nursing homes, hospice and many other settings.
Adult Nurse Practitioners practice within their designated scope of practice. They most often practice primary care to adult patients. In general, an Adult Nurse Practitioner will assess adult patients, diagnosis and provide a management or treatment regimen for patients. Health promotion, illness prevention and the management of acute and chronic illnesses are primary job duties for an Adult Nurse Practitioner in most health care settings. Many Adult Nurse Practitioners do choose to specialize in a specific area of care, which requires additional training or courses. Common specialty areas include HIV/AIDS or occupational health. Specialization in gerontology or a related area is also common.
The most common educational preparation path for an Adult NP is to first become a registered nurse via an entry level nursing program, such as a diploma, associate or baccalaureate nursing degree program. Advanced nursing educational preparation is now required in all states, so a master’s degree in nursing with a specialization in Adult Care would be the next step. Find an Adult Nurse Practitioner Program. Adult Nurse Practitioner certification through a National certification organization is often required to obtain a license and practice in most states. The two most common National certifying bodies for Adult Nurse Practitioner certification are the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and the American Nurse Credentialing Center (ANCC).
The demand for Adult Health Nurse Practitioners is high in most areas of the United States. As the population ages and grows hospitals, home health agencies, extended care facilities, prisons, private practices, group practices and related facilities will continue to need advanced practice nurses trained to provide care to adult patients. This is an exciting and opportunistic area of advanced practice nursing to enter. Adult Nurse Practitioner salaries will vary by state, specialty practice, facility, experience and related factors. As of August, 2009, the average annual salary for a nurse practitioner is $89,000 according to various job posting data. This number should only be viewed as a ballpark figure and a better idea of local salaries, contact facilities you may be interested in working for. Tel the human resources office that you are a student in the area and would like to know a salary range for a new Adult Nurse Practitioner graduate.