What is a Nurse Practitioner Degree?

Nurse practitioners are professionals in the medical community with more autonomy and responsibility than most other nurses. A Nurse Practitioner program builds on the knowledge gained in a baccalaureate nursing program to prepare students to provide primary care and to attain the Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner designation. Nurse Practitioner programs include instruction in subjects such as acute care, psychiatric management and patient relations and offer specializations in fields such as pediatrics, emergency care or psychiatric care, among others.

What Types of Nurse Practitioner Programs Are There?

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

Nurse practitioners who specialize in pediatric care work in clinics, doctor's offices, hospitals and other medical establishments to provide services such as illness diagnosis, immunizations and physical exams. Like all nurse practitioners, these professionals focus on health maintenance and a holistic approach to health care, working with families and their children to provide preventive care as well as diagnostic and treatment services. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS),www.bls.gov, predicts strong demand for nurse practitioners in coming years, while www.salary.com reports that salaries in this field generally range from $72,000 to $85,000 per year.

Emergency Care Nurse Practitioner

Nurse practitioners who work in emergency rooms direct the efforts of other nurses, prescribe medications and treatments, make diagnoses and report to managing physicians. They require strong knowledge of trauma care, injury treatment and acute disease management practices. ER nurse practitioners must also possess extremely strong decision-making and communications skills in order to facilitate immediate and effective provision of care. Salaries for these professionals range from between $75,000 and $93,000 per annum (www.salary.com).

Psychiatric Care Nurse Practitioner

Psychiatric care nurse practitioners, also known as mental health nurse practitioners, work in clinics, hospitals and other settings to assist psychiatrists and physicians in the provision of psychiatric care. Their function is often primarily diagnostic in nature, but like other NPs they are also able to prescribe medication and other treatments. They are responsible for monitoring patient progress and status in situations that involve long-term care, such as alcoholism or addiction treatment, and for reporting to physicians regarding the psychiatric effects of other conditions or treatments. Average salaries in this field range from $76,000 to $94,000 per annum (www.salary.com).