Nurse Practitioners
Nurse Practitioners is the O*NET name for people who diagnose and treat acute, episodic, or chronic illness, independently or as part of a healthcare team. Its interest code is ISC. Investigative leads at 5.5 out of 7, so expect research, analysis and working through hard problems, with Social next at 5.5. The preparation level is extensive preparation, typically graduate school and often five years or more of related experience. O*NET’s skill data points to reading comprehension, critical thinking, and complex problem solving as the ones to build. A regular part of the work is to maintain complete and detailed records of patients' health care plans and prognoses. It tends to suit people who want research, analysis and working through hard problems, and it offers little for anyone seeking creative work with room for original expression.
What they do
Diagnose and treat acute, episodic, or chronic illness, independently or as part of a healthcare team. May focus on health promotion and disease prevention. May order, perform, or interpret diagnostic tests such as lab work and x rays. May prescribe medication. Must be registered nurses who have specialized graduate education.
Main tasks
- Maintain complete and detailed records of patients' health care plans and prognoses.
- Develop treatment plans, based on scientific rationale, standards of care, and professional practice guidelines.
- Provide patients with information needed to promote health, reduce risk factors, or prevent disease or disability.
- Analyze and interpret patients' histories, symptoms, physical findings, or diagnostic information to develop appropriate diagnoses.
- Diagnose or treat complex, unstable, comorbid, episodic, or emergency conditions in collaboration with other health care providers as necessary.
- Prescribe medication dosages, routes, and frequencies, based on such patient characteristics as age and gender.
Skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You enjoy working out why something happens, not just what happened.
- You get energy from helping other people move forward.
- You are prepared for graduate-level study and a long training path.
- You are comfortable relying on reading comprehension and critical thinking.
May not suit you if
- You lose interest when a job asks for long stretches of analysis.
- You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.4 out of 7 here.
- You want to be working in the field within the next few years.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code ISC takes the three highest, and Investigative comes first here.
Preparation
Extensive preparation. Many jobs here need graduate study, and people often spend five years or more building specialist experience.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Master's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- ACNP (Acute Care Nurse Practitioner)
- Adult Nurse Practitioner
- Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)
- ARNP Specialist (Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner Specialist)
- Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
Related careers
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.