Nurse Practitioner #2 of Top 100 Jobs in 2015
Posted almost 10 years ago by Nicholas M Perrino
"Nurse practitioners, also known as advanced practice registered nurses (APRN), are registered nurses with additional education. This extra schooling allows these professionals to take patient histories, perform physical exams, order labs, analyze lab results, prescribe medicines, authorize treatments and educate patients and families on continued care. Nurse practitioners specialize by 'population,' such as women's health or pediatrics. And they can also work in research or academia.
It sounds a lot like the job description for a physician, right? So what's the difference? The main contrast is the amount of formal education required. Physicians have more, and their breadth of knowledge and their salaries are usually commensurate with their additional work. However, increasingly – and somewhat controversially – nurse practitioners are providing primary care to patients. Many nurse practitioners first worked as registered nurses where their treatment of patients extended to holistic and wellness care, and an NP brings that background to his or her diagnosis, treatment and management of medical issues.
Over the next decade, health officials are projecting a severe shortage of health care professionals, brought about by health reform and an aging baby boom generation. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that by 2022, the field will grow by 33.7 percent, opening up a whopping 37,100 new positions. This growth rate is more than double the national average for other occupations, making job security for nurse practitioners very good. They are also handsomely paid for their work, with the top 25 percent taking home six figures. For these reasons, this occupation takes the No. 2 slot on our list of Best Jobs of 2015.
Salary
The pay is good. In 2013, nurse practitioners made a median salary of $92,670. The highest-paid 10 percent earned $126,250 and the lowest-paid 10 percent earned $66,960. For the best salary potential, you should head to the metropolitan areas of Columbus, Indiana; Texarkana, Texas; or San Jose, California."