Nurse Practitioners

Also called : ACNP (Acute Care Nurse Practitioner), Adult Nurse Practitioner, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), ARNP Specialist (Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner Specialist), Family Nurse Practition

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.

On the job, one would

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.

KNOWLEDGE

Medicine and Dentistry
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Biology
Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

Psychology
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

SKILLS

Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

ABILITIES

Inductive Reasoning
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Problem Sensitivity
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

Written Comprehension
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Deductive Reasoning
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Near Vision
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

PERSONALITY

People interested in this work, will do well at jobs that need;

Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.

Concern for Others
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.

Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.

Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Analytical Thinking
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.

Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

Achievement/Effort
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Related Occupations

Physician Assistants

Clinical Nurse Specialists

Physical Therapists

TECHNOLOGY

Cloud-based data access and sharing software

Data base user interface and query software

Electronic mail software

Internet browser software

Medical software

Office suite software

Presentation software

Spreadsheet software

Word processing software

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Preparation
Extensive Preparation Needed
Education
Graduate Degree or higher.
Experience
Extensive skills, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations.
Jobtraining
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.