Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

Nursing can be anemotionally challengingjob that can test your patience, grit, and determination. But most professionalsin the field will agree that it is a job that can bring you immense satisfaction. With the right education and training,registered nurses can continue to advance professionally and can work in a variety of healthcare settings. In this article, we’ll take a look at the careers of acute care nurse practitioners and what you can do to become one. Acute care nurse practitioners provide nursing care in various types of healthcare institutions to patients suffering from serious illnesses.These nurses not only care for patients and provide emotional support to their families, but they also assist doctors in medical procedures and keep a close watch on patient recovery. Let’s take a look at the factors that make this profession a fulfilling one. What you will do? Acute care nurse practitioners undertake a number of responsibilities in a healthcare institution. They are responsible for providing medical attention to patients and emotional support to patients’families. Acute care nurse practitioners typically:

• Assess and manage acutely ill patients in various hospital settings such as the trauma unit, intensive care unit, emergency departments, specialty clinics,etc.
• Assess patients’ current health status and diagnose health problems
• Treat medical conditions by prescribing medication and maintaining a record of patient responses
• Manage total patient carefrom admission to discharge
• Are able to perform emergency medical procedures such as basic and advanced cardiac life support, defibrillation, intubation, and other stabilizing maneuvers when necessary

Where will you work? As mentioned earlier, acute care nurse practitionerscan work in a variety of healthcare facilities. These include:

• Intensive care units
• Home health care
• Trauma units
• Neurology departments
• Emergency departments
• Long-term care facilities
• Surgery departments
• Oncology departments
• Specialty clinics
• Rehabilitation centers

Education and payscale In order to be a critical care nurse practitioner, a student must first hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing and should be a registered nurse. Students can then move on to earning a master’s degree (either online or on-campus) in a nursing discipline, preferably one that will teach them the necessary skills to become a critical care nurse practitioner. A good place to start your research forthe right master’s nursing program would be to read student reviews. These usually give you a good idea about what acollege has to offer its students.Colleges like Stevens-Henager College offer a variety of master’s degree programs that prepare a student for various nursing job roles, among them acute care nursing. Reviews of Stevens-Henager College highlight its free student services, FAFSA help program, and much more. Read a Stevens-Henager College review to find out more about the college. According to Pay Scale, acute care nurse practitioners can earn salaries ranging anywhere between $67,486 and $103,957, depending on education, experience, and location.If you want to contribute to  society by helping people in need, consider becoming a critical care nurse practitioner and making a difference.