With advances in the medical field, people are living longer, and an aging population requires more health care and medical services. An anticipated shortage of primary care physicians, however, will see an increased demand for highly qualified nurses who can fill the skills gap and relieve some of the pressure on physicians. Nurse practitioners (NPs) fulfill this critical role, working in clinics, hospitals, and private practice to provide health care, offer medical advice, and prescribe medications for patients.
An NP requires a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree for this demanding job. Registered nurses (RNs) with a bachelor’s degree in nursing are eligible for this graduate program, which takes an additional two years of study to complete. Many universities and colleges offer online programs to nurses who want to pursue an MSN while working.
A typical MSN curriculum may enable students to develop some of the essential skills required for success in this job. It may also prepare them to fulfill a vital role in patient care and wellness.
Special Skills Required by Nurse Practitioners
Students following an MSN curriculum may learn to develop several skills during the course of this degree program:
o Compassion. Nurses need to develop an empathetic and caring nature to foster a relationship of trust with patients of all ages. They must learn to convey a genuine concern for the welfare of their patients.
o Effective communication. This is a critical skill in patient care. Graduates must be able to communicate effectively with patients, patients’ families, physicians, and other members of the nursing staff.
o Patience. The job of an NP requires a great deal of patience to explain procedures to patients who may be understandably nervous. NPs must be able to put patients at their ease.
o Emotional stability. Nurses are often faced with tragic and heartbreaking situations. It is imperative that they learn to deal with these circumstances in a calm way.
o Critical thinking. Nurse practitioners are often required to make critical decisions regarding the health and treatment of their patients. The MSN program may teach students to accept autonomy in decision-making in the absence of physicians.
o Attention to detail. NPs have the authority to prescribe medications. This requires attention to detail to ensure that correct procedures and precautions are carried out.
o Organization. A day in the working life of an NP can be extremely busy and requires good organizational skills. Nurses must keep track of numerous patients and their health care needs.
o Leadership. NPs are usually required to manage other members of the nursing staff. They must learn delegation and management skills to ensure the efficient operation of a nursing facility.
Nurse Practitioner Specialties
Typically, graduates of an MSN degree program opt to specialize in one of five primary care fields:
∞ Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Pediatric NPs provide care to sick babies, infants, and children in medical facilities and at home. They need special skills to communicate with infants and children who often cannot articulate their symptoms well. These patients and their families need nurses who are compassionate and dedicated to solving their medical problems, often under very trying circumstances.
∞ Family Nurse Practitioner
A family NP often develops a long-term relationship with a family, treating family members of all ages, from infants and children to adults and geriatrics. They must possess a wide base of knowledge to assess, diagnose, and treat their patients.
∞ Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
NPs in this specialty must use their skills and knowledge in psychiatric nursing to provide therapeutic mental health care to children, teens, and adults. Psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners must possess exceptional communication skills to draw out the thoughts, feelings, and emotions of patients to allow for correct diagnosis and treatment.
∞ Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
A women’s health NP differs from a certified nurse midwife (CNM), who tends to focus mainly on childbearing from conception to delivery. A women’s health NP provides primary health care throughout a woman’s life.
∞ Adult-Geriatric Nurse Practitioner
These NPs focus on the health care and well-being of adolescents through adulthood and into advanced age. Because adult-geriatric nurse practitioners work with patients of different ages, they must have knowledge of the various medical conditions that affect these age groups. Nurses need special skills to help geriatrics, in particular, deal with specific medical conditions, such as Alzheimer’s and dementia, and must be able to provide palliative care.
Typical MSN Degree Courses
These are a sample of the courses that are typically offered in an MSN degree program:
∞ Advanced Pathophysiology. This course aims to teach nurses to understand how and why the symptoms of various diseases and conditions appear. This understanding helps enable students to develop rational therapies for these illnesses.
∞ Nursing Theory. Nursing theory presents a foundation and unified guide to the purpose and practical application of nursing. It helps nurses to develop a more meaningful insight into their profession.
∞ Health Policy, Politics, and Perspectives. This course examines the development of health care policy with a view to taking political issues and other perspectives into consideration.
Students of an MSN curriculum will likely have many career options once they graduate. Some students might specialize as nurse anesthetists or nurse midwives. Others might have the option to work as solo healthcare providers or pursue careers in healthcare management. The job outlook for this career has high growth potential at over 30 percent job growth annually.
Learn More
Many nurses decide to further their careers with an MSN degree can look forward to a demanding but rewarding career path with a great outlook for employability into the future. Learn more about the our online MSN curriculum and start planning your career advancement today.
Recommended Reading:
5 Areas of Study for the Master of Science in Nursing Student
7 Career Specializations for Nurse Practitioners
Sources:
Online Nursing at Regis College
Master of Science in Nurse Practitioner at Regis College
Bureau of Labor Statistics