Nurses have always been an emblem of hope for overall patient care. Thanks to their knowledge and expertise, they might be the most important resource in healthcare systems worldwide. The work of a nurse inside a specialized healthcare facility is more crucial than ever as new and improved technologies quickly enter the healthcare sector. This holds true both in the hospital wards and operating rooms as well as behind the scenes.
Although patient care and administrative activities remain the primary job responsibilities of nursing, medical facility managers now look to nurse practitioners for their insights to improve management decisions and create essential work-related rules. Besides that, nurse practitioners (NPs) are also actively contributing to communities’ social improvement, which bodes well for the future of healthcare.
There is no denying that healthcare facilities are experiencing a shortage of doctors and physicians to make services accessible to more people. To close this gap, healthcare businesses are hiring more nurse practitioners since these professionals have a bigger job size and skillset than regular nurses. If that doesn’t entice you to become an NP, here are a few reasons to make you think otherwise.
You’ll leverage various CE opportunities
Nowadays, more and more nurses are returning to medical school to further their education, regardless of their age or educational background. Their commitment to lifelong learning and the need to remain current provide them an advantage many use outside the normal hospital and clinical settings.
Most nursing schools provide potential nursing students with a wide range of degree options to refine their knowledge and abilities. For instance, if you hold a BSN, you can enroll in an MSN degree program to become an NP. The NP curriculum will allow you to study courses such as health policy, advanced care management, pharmacology, etc.
After acquiring an MSN, you can participate in certification programs administered by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners or the American Nurses Credentialing Center. This will allow you to specialize in a particular nursing field, such as geriatric, mental health, or pediatrics, and work as an NP in your respective state.
You’ll help promote a culture of holistic healthcare
The healthcare sector has been progressively moving away from treating a person’s specific health issue to treating their overall physical or mental illness. A “culture of complete healthcare” aims to treat the patient holistically. In the opinion of many healthcare leaders and experts, such a transformation can only occur if nurses are at the top of the food chain, especially nurse practitioners.
Of course, we know that this change will require a significant amount of work across numerous areas. However, because NPs approach patient care from a holistic standpoint, there is no doubt these professionals will lead the charge.
You’ll be a community leader and changemaker
A nurse practitioner’s compassion, empathy, and understanding continue when they leave their clinic. All across the world, NPs are actively investing their time and energy into their communities to light a spark that will improve everybody’s quality of life. Their commitment and dedication to the idea “that everyone deserves equal treatment” encourage constructive change both locally and globally.
You, too, can become a part of this movement by becoming a nurse practitioner. NPs serve as role models for residents of their community. They set an example for others to follow and provide patient care to everyone, regardless of their financial stability. NPs also bring light to problems in the community, assisting local leaders in their efforts to find better, more affordable healthcare solutions.
You’ll be at the frontline of patient advocacy
NPs are born to be leaders and advocates. These healthcare professionals devote their careers to supporting people while using their abilities and capabilities on the job. Their empathy is the primary ingredient that enables them to forge these relationships with their patients. This results from NPs spending all their time individually dealing with and caring for patients while fighting for their right to fair treatment.
The ability to learn faster is a character attribute that nurses possess, and it is just as crucial to the healthcare industry as any other skill and trait. After all, a patient usually interacts with a nurse first while seeking medical attention.
You’ll play your part in various leadership roles
Over the past ten years, there has been a significant change in the nursing profession, with more nurses leaving the hospital floor and stepping into the boardroom. The state of healthcare systems and the future of healthcare largely depend on modern nurses. NPs are among the most employable leaders of the next generation because of the value they bring to the healthcare system through their experience.
Ultimately, it all comes down to the various opportunities for nursing to advance their career and take on leadership roles. For the first time in a long time, opportunities exist for nurses to enter the scene and take center stage in the discussion. Gone is the time when nurses made up only a small portion of the boardroom staff. Therefore, you, too, can become an NP and play your part in various leadership roles that go above and beyond your nursing unit.
You’ll have excellent pay and job security
Living comfortably is undoubtedly one of the main goals of people. Most people believe a job pays well when it enables them to achieve that. According to the BLS, the median salary for all surveyed nurse practitioners is approximately $123,780 annually. While it is true that not everyone can live comfortably at the same wage level, most people today would consider having such an income without spending a lot of time in school to be a big accomplishment.
The BLS also states that NPs are part of a larger group of nurses who are now seeing a significant growth rate. The survey cited above also states that this category will have a 40% increase in employment from now until 2031. This is very high and indicates that there will be plenty of future job stability.
Conclusion
NPs now have a variety of possibilities to demonstrate their efficiency in offering affordable, high-quality healthcare services. However, it will never be obvious how patient care delivery will change due to healthcare reform efforts. Whatever the case, it’s clear as a sunny day that nurses will be essential in future healthcare reforms and the development of global healthcare services. So, hurry up and become a nurse practitioner and play your role in helping society.
