Friday, March 2, 2012

The Benefits of Becoming a Nurse Practitioner Instead of an RN

Nurse practitioners are men and women that work in the highest levels of nursing. When most people think about becoming a nurse, they think about working as a registered nurse or RN. They don't consider the career that lies beyond that as an NP. This is not a career for everyone, but it is one that comes with significant rewards in the long run. If you can make it through the extra education it takes to become a nurse practitioner, you may be much happier with your life in the end. Here is a look at some of the benefits that may come along with being a nurse practitioner instead of a register nurse.

Higher Positions

When you take on the work of a nurse practitioner, you get the opportunity to manage teams of nurses that you would otherwise be a part of. You also get the chance to act as a doctor in many ways, examining patients, prescribing medications, and even performing minor surgeries in some cases. You don't get that kind of responsibility as an RN. You just get the chance to take care of patients…nothing more. If you go all the way with your career though, you could play a much larger role in the medical community.

Higher Demand

RNs are a dime a dozen, but NPs are much rarer to find. That is why most employers will seek out good practitioners, even if they already have a job. You will have much more job opportunities as an NP than you will as an RN, mainly because there are so many more RNs in the world than there are NPs. You may still face competition when you apply for a job, but you will have a better chance of getting hired as a whole. In this kind of economy, that can make a big impact on your life in the future.

Higher Pay

In most cases, nurse practitioners make significantly more money than registered nurses. That is because they are more educated and carry higher roles within their places of work. If you are looking for a truly lucrative career for the rest of your life, the few years you spend in grad school to become an NP will be well worth the effort in the end. Here is a look at how salary rates vary between registered nurses and nurse practitioners:

Registered Nurse Salary by Years of Experience
  • Less than 1 year: $29,220 - $64,297 per year
  • 1-4 years: $34,330 - $68,737 per year
  • 5-9 years: $39,936 - $77,749 per year
  • 10-19 years: $40,373 - $84,371 per year
  • 20 years or more: $41,553 - $91,733 per year

Nurse Practitioner Salary by Years of Experience
  • Less than 1 year: $59,335 - $86,215 per year
  • 1-4 years: $59,520 - $91,952 per year
  • 5-9 years: $59,969 - $97,079 per year
  • 10-19 years: $59,485 - $104,689 per year
  • 20 or more years: $55,261 - $104,588 per year

Conclusion

Becoming a nurse practitioner may be a little tougher than becoming a registered nurse, but it will lead to a much better life as a whole. If you have been debating between these two career choices now, you may want to lean towards the higher paying one. With a little education and a second certification, you could be well on your way to an exciting and rewarding career. You just have to take the time to be a part of it.

No comments:

Post a Comment