Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, or APRNs, are professionals who are registered nurses and have additional education to provide care in specific areas. They can work as a nurse practitioner, certified registered nurse anesthetists, clinical nurse specialists, or certified nurse-midwife. In this blog post, we will discuss what an APRN is as well as the benefits of becoming one.

What is an APRN in nursing and what does it mean to be one?

Many people often ask what is APRN in nursing? An APRN is a professionally registered nurse with a degree in nursing as well as additional education to provide care specified by the APRN's licensure. They typically work at places such as hospitals, doctors' offices, and clinics. APRNs are able to do things like diagnosing illness, prescribe medications, teach medical students or participate in advanced practice areas of their profession, such as managing chronic conditions.

APRNs may perform a broad spectrum of nursing duties, which include:

  • Giving flu shots and other vaccinations to patients
  • Teaching safe sex practices for both adults and teens about the importance of contraception or abstinence if you are not ready to have children or it isn't appropriate for your life situation
  • Making sure that patients are taking their medications and adhering to a treatment plan
  • Providing care for people who have chronic conditions such as diabetes or asthma, including teaching them how to manage these diseases by monitoring symptoms like blood sugar levels.

APRNs can work in any of the following areas:

  • Hospitals with patients with acute health conditions
  • Doctors' offices
  • Community health clinics
  • Nursing homes and long-term care facilities offer both nursing services as well as medical treatment to residents who have chronic illnesses such as diabetes.
  • APRNs may also work for a private company, teaching nurses about how to provide better patient care or managing patient care at a hospital.

Benefits of becoming an APRN

The benefits of becoming an APRN are numerous. You'll have the chance to work in different settings, such as hospitals and doctors' offices, and provide a broad range of care. You also can choose from a variety of roles you may take on within your profession, like working with people who are critically ill, teaching nursing students, or managing chronic diseases.

You may also have access to more opportunities to advance in your positions. APRNs are in high demand, and shortages exist in many areas such as rural communities or inner-city hospitals with large numbers of uninsured patients. Nurses can earn more money than other professions that require similar levels of education, like social workers, and will be able to retire earlier and receive more benefits.

How do I become an APRN, including education requirements, licensure, and career outlooks?

Nurses who are looking to get into this profession should be prepared for the rigors of getting an advanced degree and all that it entails, but they can rest assured knowing that the end result will pay off in many ways.

Education Requirements:

Advanced practice nurses are special because they have to meet educational requirements and achieve national certification. It's not easy! Advanced Practice Nurse Prescribers (APNPs) can prescribe drugs or devices, but states usually recognize four roles: nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, certified registered nurse anesthetist; and certified professional midwife.

To be eligible to become an APNP, you must have a Master’s Degree and your degree can come from any regionally accredited institution.

With the increase in specialization among nursing professionals, it has become more difficult for prospective graduate nurses to determine which certification agency and specialty is right for them.

For a nurse who wishes to specialize as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), he or she may need accreditation from their certifying body that stipulates coursework must be specifically designed with one of three APRN roles: psychiatric/mental health certified professional; acute care pediatric certified professional; adult-geriatric Certified Nurse Practitioner. The exam required before receiving credentials will vary depending on what role they're pursuing, but all require 500 supervised clinical hours in this area prior to applying.

Licensure:

The licensing agency will need original proof that he or she holds a valid national certification and possesses an appropriate master’s degree.

Career Outlook:

As stated earlier, the career outlook for those who obtain this certificate is said to be very promising. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that by 2022 there will be a 20% increase in demand for advanced practice nurses--with more than 51,000 jobs added over the course of ten years. This is a much higher demand than what is expected for registered nurses in the same time period, which has a projected job growth of just 11%.

Advanced practice nurses can expect to make anywhere from $75,000 to $130,000 annually. Considering that advanced nursing professionals are becoming increasingly sought after and they have more career options available to them, including being self-employed, this is a great career choice. Here is a list of possible opportunities once someone gets their APRN.

Certified nurse-midwives (CNMs)

Some of the most important work a Certified Nurse-Midwife can do is to help women with their pregnancies and childbirth. They are often there for prenatal care, labor support, postpartum recovery as well as helping new parents in those first weeks after birth when they're adjusting to being on call 24 hours per day with a tiny human who's always hungry or just needs comforting.

Certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs)

CRNAs can take an active role in the surgical process, administering anesthesia and monitoring pain relief. Some CRNA's may work autonomously while others must have a physician present to oversee their care.

Clinical nurse specialists (CNSs)

Medical professionals are increasingly turning to the type of specialization that CNSs offer. The demand for care has become so high, in fact, that many hospitals have hired additional staff just to focus on acute and critical patients; this is where a CNS comes into play.

A medical professional will often consult with an expert such as a nurse practitioner or physician assistant before making any major decisions about patient treatment since they can provide recommendations based on their knowledge base and skill set which could be invaluable when it comes down to determining what's best medically speaking for both you and your loved ones under different circumstances

Nurse practitioners (NPs)

Nurse practitioners are the backbone of healthcare. They focus on primary care or one of a variety of specialty areas such as women’s health and provide direct patient care that includes diagnosis, prescriptions, etc.

It is important for nurses to be aware of the many options available. It's not only a great time to become an APRN, but it has also never been more lucrative. It’s important to plan out your education accordingly in order to pick the best possible career path for your career goals.