Nurse practitioners, or NPs, have plenty of career options due to their advanced training. If you’re a nurse practitioner looking to start a new job, you’ll want to consider your skills and interests to find one that will make you the happiest.
In this guide, you’ll find all the best career options for NPs. Let’s begin!
1. Primary Care Provider
As a nurse practitioner, you have the skills to quickly become a primary care provider. This role is called PCNP, which stands for primary care nurse practitioner. You will work with patients to address common health issues. They’ll come to you for routine checkups, and you’ll offer preventive care.
Essentially, PCNPs practice general healthcare. You’ll need to know about a wide range of health conditions. If you identify an issue with a patient, you’ll get them in touch with an expert who can provide treatment within their field.
A primary care nurse practitioner has an average salary of $122,200 in the United States.
2. Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner
Becoming an aesthetic nurse will be perfect if you’re interested in cosmetics. You’d be responsible for applying various aesthetic treatments. For example, you may administer Botox, chemical peels, laser therapy, or liposuction.
With a background as an NP, you have all the necessary skills to succeed in this career. You likely have experience as an NP, giving you an understanding of clinical procedures.
You must also have good communication skills to discuss the procedures with your clients in detail before they decide to go through with them or not. The aesthetic nurse provides consultations to better understand the client’s goals before developing a personalized treatment.
So, if you love aesthetics, this would be a fantastic career for you to get into. The average aesthetic nurse salary in the United States is about $131,500.
3. Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
Next, you might be interested in becoming an acute care nurse practitioner. You would immediately treat patients with injuries or short-term conditions in this role. As a nurse practitioner, you already likely know how to treat many conditions, allowing you to provide care to patients in various situations. Acute care nurses are also often responsible for patients who have just come out of surgery.
So, an acute care NP would be found in emergency departments, surgical units, or the ICU. This would be the best choice if you want to work in a fast-paced environment.
The average salary for an acute nurse practitioner in the United States would be about $121,900.
4. Specialty Care
As an NP, you can also go into specialty care. You can choose an area such as cardiology, psychiatry, or oncology. This type of NP career lets you focus on one of your interests.
The salary you receive will depend on what specialty you go into. The highest-paying specialty would be psychiatry, with an average income of $145,348 yearly. This position is also very high in demand.
You’ll want to research your options and think about where your expertise lies when choosing a specialty.
5. Pediatric Nurse Practioner
You can also go into the pediatric field. With this career, you’d focus on providing children with healthcare. You could work in a variety of settings, including clinics or schools.
Many pediatric nurse practitioners also act as advocates for their young patients. You’ll need to be comfortable ensuring they receive proper care. There will be many times when you provide care to a newborn until they become an adult.
You’ll need to know as much as possible about pediatric primary care to succeed in this career.
Currently, the average salary for a pediatric nurse practitioner is $116,900 in the United States.
6. Women’s Health Nurse Practioner
Next, you might consider a women’s health nurse practitioner position. These professionals specialize in women’s reproductive health. You may specifically work in the obstetric or gynecological fields.
Women’s health NPs usually work in maternity wards or at women’s clinics. If you move into this career, you can expect to make around $123,800 in the U.S.
7. Geriatric Nurse Practioner
Next, you may want to become a geriactric NP. In this position you will provide seniors with primary care. You’ll also check in with their mental health and diets. Your goal will be to help them maintain their quality of life.
Geriatric nurse practitioners record their patient’s medical history and keep their medical records up to date. You’ll need to perform detailed checkups to ensure you’re documenting all of the senior patients health issues. Then, you’ll work with other healthcare professionals to implement a treatment plan for the patient.
If you decide to enter this career path, you’ll probably work at a long-term care facility for seniors or a geriatric clinic. The average salary for a geriatric nurse practitioner is currently $114,740.
8. Nurse Educator
Many nurse practitioners also become nurse educators. This career is best for those who want to teach the next generation of healthcare professionals. You’ll develop curriculums, teach classes, and act as a mentor for nursing students.
Your main goal will be to provide support and advice to students, guiding them on a path to success in nursing. The average salary for this position is $95,746. Although, you could break into three figures if you’re experienced enough.
Overall, this is a very in-demand position, and it can be highly rewarding. You might fall into a unique specialty, allowing you to instruct others who want to learn.
9. Travel Nurse Practitioner
Lastly, you’ll want to know more about becoming a travel NP. Those in this position work in many different healthcare settings. You’ll get to spend a lot of time traveling, which can offer you rewarding experiences.
The average salary for a travel NP is also $131,540.
Choose a NP Career Today
There are so many options that you have as a nurse practitioner. You’ll want to consider your interests and unique skills to decide which is best for you. All of these positions pay very well, so you’re free to choose whatever you want to do.