Become an Adult Nurse

An adult nurse practitioner works with patients to create customized treatment plans to help prevent illness and maintain wellness throughout a patient's adult life. The focus of this nursing career is on the needs of a patient, families and the community. Adult nursing professionals work in leadership roles as primary health care providers to promote constructive health practices and disease prevention beginning in early adulthood and continuing throughout the aging process.

Adult Nurse Career Overview

Adult nurse practitioners are trained to apply nursing theory and research to clinical practice. As leaders in the health care environment, adult nursing specialists educate, organize and manage the staff in their teams to respond quickly and efficiently in both routine tasks and emergency situations. A nurse practitioner will treat both acute and chronic illness, and can specialize in specific areas, such as diabetes or HIV/AIDS.

An adult nurse practitioner usually finds employment with a hospital, but opportunities are available in a wide variety of health care settings, including long-term care facilities, health care agencies, doctors' offices and community-based treatment centers. The hours spent on the job can be demanding, and it takes determination, as well as flexibility, to serve the patients. As a nurse practitioner, you are responsible for multiple tasks:

• Learning your patients' history
• Comforting and advising your patients and their families
• Conducting patient investigations
• Assisting doctors with tests and diagnosis
• Updating patient records with current information
• Preparing drips and blood transfusions
• Giving and checking medicine and injections

Adult Nurse Salary

According to Payscale.com, the average yearly pay for an adult nurse practitioner is about $75,423. A nurse practitioner typically earns about $20,000 more per year in base salary than an RN, because of their advanced training.

The yearly nursing career salary can increase based on your experience, nursing degree and location. When you graduate from an adult nursing program, you are likely to earn a higher income practicing in a hospital setting than working for a private organization.

Learn more about nursing salaries.

Adult Nurse Education

Some nursing schools offer adult nursing practitioner training as part of their Master's of Science in Nursing (MSN) program. Before you begin earning your adult nursing education you need to complete a registered nursing program with either an Associate's of Science in Nursing degree or a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. Most master's degree programs take two years to complete.

Like almost all other nurse practitioner courses, hundreds of clinical experience hours are required prior to earning your credentials. The number of hours is set by the institution offering the program. The average tuition for a Master of Science in Nursing degree falls between $25,000 and $40,000. The cost depends on which school you choose and whether it is a private or public nursing school.

After earning your advanced practice nursing degree, you become qualified to take either the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) or American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) examinations to earn your adult nursing certificate. Only one of these exams is required for certification and it is not recommended to attempt both, because of the unnecessary stress and cost. To take these examinations you must be a licensed registered nurse and hold a master's degree—which is earned when you graduate from an adult nursing program.

Adult Nurse Career Outlook

Demand for adult nurse practitioners is high, and the number of job opportunities is expected to increase significantly over the next ten years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Due to a high demand for qualified nurse practitioners, many nursing career facilities offer incentives for joining their staff, such as a signing bonus, increased salary or even subsidized training. These incentives often require that you remain at the facility for a certain amount of time.

Job demand positively affects salaries, schedules, job openings, the availability of training institutions and government grants for education. Caring for patients directly and providing a positive difference in their lives make this a rewarding profession. If working for the well-being of patients, families and communities is attractive to you, a career as an adult nursing practitioner might be a great choice.

Sources:
Payscale.com
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics