Why I Like Being a Nurse Practitioner and You Should Become One

I am thrilled I chose a career as a nurse practitioner and recommend it to almost everyone!  My career provides me a flexible schedule, an interesting and challenging workday and a pretty good paycheck…all with just two years of schooling following my bachelor’s degree.

As a nurse practitioner, I have worked in Family Practice, Urgent Care and Emergency Medicine.  One of my favorite things about being a nurse practitioner is the flexibility the career provides.  I am not tied to one type of practice or specialty.  As a certified Family Nurse Practitioner, I am free to practice in specialty clinics, primary care clinics and in the hospital setting.  When I no longer feel challenged by my work or my interest in a certain area wanes, I can move on.

The nurse practitioner career also allows me freedom with my schedule.  Most jobs I have held have rather unconventional scheduling.  Some clinics have allowed me to work just four weekday shifts to be considered full-time while others have scheduled three, twelve hour workdays (my favorite!).  Whether you are seeking flexibility to raise children, work a second job, travel or just have some free time, you should be able to find a work environment as a nurse practitioner that fits your scheduling needs.

Nurse practitioners are paid very well, especially for the amount of schooling they receive.  The median salary for nurse practitioners in the United States is $90,600.  With the right job, you can earn well over $100,000. To personally earn such a salary, I completed just a two-year accelerated program following my bachelor’s degree.  I can’t think of another career with such a high starting salary in return for so little schooling.

Finally, I enjoy working as a nurse practitioner for the challenge of continued learning.  I cannot imagine sitting behind a desk for eight hours each day doing mundane paperwork.  My job is active.  No two days are exactly alike.  I learn more everyday.  When I don’t know how to diagnose a certain problem I do further research- I am constantly learning.

If you have an interest in healthcare and especially if you are a nurse, the nurse practitioner profession might be ther perfect fit for you.  It is a growing field with endless opportunities for all different areas of interest. Have questions about becoming a nurse practitioner?  I would love to help- simply comment below.