5 Reasons to Become a Nurse Practitioner
Nursing has become a great career track full of settings and options. One advancement option growing in popularity is becoming a Nurse Practitioner. NPs function similarly to physicians — ordering tests, diagnosing, and treating various medical issues.
The capacity and autonomy of an NP depends on location, clinical setting, and facility. Often, NPs work hand-in-hand with physicians to provide comprehensive care to patients — healthy and sick, acute and nonacute. To some this seems like too much responsibility; to others it's the perfect challenge with a host of benefits. Here are 5 reasons to consider it.
1. Better Work Environment
This depends on which job you take, but in general you'll find a better work environment as an NP. The work is more of a mental game than a physical one. Bedside nursing is tough — it wreaks havoc on your body, and you tend to take the blame for everything.
As an NP, you're "higher up" on the totem pole. Your job is to treat the patient with critical thinking rather than physically carrying out orders. It brings its own challenges, but it's less physically demanding. Patients and colleagues often treat you with more respect — you'd be surprised the difference a white coat makes. Many NP jobs also offer better hours and work-life balance: office settings often run Monday–Friday with short days, while hospital roles can still offer a 3-day work week for those who prefer it.
2. Better Income
Let's not kid ourselves — this is probably one of the biggest motivators. A pay raise is expected when moving from bedside nurse to NP. While not always the case depending on your location and current job, most people can expect a significant raise making the change.
According to Glassdoor, the average base salary of an NP in the US is $117,298 (not counting benefits or bonuses). You won't always earn this as a new graduate, but higher cost-of-living or very rural areas may offer great pay even to new NPs — especially inpatient. In outpatient offices, expect somewhat less (around $80–100K), though higher salaries appear in areas of need.
3. Better Benefits
This seems to be a universal perk. Benefits as a bedside nurse aren't terrible, but NP benefits are better and negotiable.
Benefits vary by employer, but you can generally expect better benefits as an NP than as a bedside nurse.
4. More Knowledge
If you like challenging yourself and learning as much as you can, becoming an NP is the logical next step. Graduate and doctoral school is difficult — there's so much to learn, especially when patient decisions are in your hands and lives literally depend on you.
Furthering your education isn't meant to be easy. Physicians get extensive time and training before practicing autonomously; nurses go back to school for 2–3 years and are then expected to practice similarly. It's completely possible — especially with physician collaboration — but challenging. If you're a bedside nurse who finds yourself constantly wanting more, go for it. Sometimes there's a deep yearning for advancement that no amount of money or bedside thrill can fill.
5. There Is a Definite Need
There's a huge need for nurses, and some would say an even bigger need for Nurse Practitioners. This stems from the physician shortage — NPs are being used to fill the gap and to practice at the highest level of their scope. NPs are needed in every setting: outpatient and inpatient, office and hospital, retail clinics and beyond.
5 Reasons to Reconsider
People want higher pay, but if they don't love the work, it may not be worth it. Many bedside options (like travel nursing or management) can raise your pay without thousands spent on grad school — I spent over $70K on my graduate education alone.
Bedside nursing can be fun, especially in a well-managed department — working in the ER, the camaraderie is like none other. It's still possible as an NP, but will look different. And there's a huge ongoing need for RNs — if everyone became an NP, who would be at the bedside?
An NP program is full of exams testing a wide range of medical conditions and treatments. If tests are hard for you, consider this before applying — and remember you must pass the AANP or ANCC certification exam to practice.
There's a ton of research and theory in the NP curriculum — research articles to read, papers to write, plus classes like ethics, leadership, family theory, and health promotion. If these topics aren't for you, reconsider.
Personal finances, schedule, and family life dictate your ability to complete a program. Many (myself included) have worked full-time through grad school, but it isn't always possible. If you can't devote 80–100 hours/week to working full-time plus school, it may not be the right time.
Whether becoming an NP is a recent idea or a lifelong goal, it's a great option for advancing your career, with tons of benefits. Being an NP is a rewarding career and you won't regret it — so long as you do it for the right reasons.
