ANP - Adult Nurse Practitioner Jobs
What Does An Adult Nurse Practitioner Do?
All adult nurse practitioners (ANPs) are registered nurses (RNs) who have become advanced practice nurses. While their focus is on seniors, ANPs also care for other patients who are at least 12 years old. These nurses are leaders responsible for educating, organizing, and managing a team to appropriately handle routine tasks as well as emergencies. ANPs frequently interface with families of patients. Some states give nurse practitioners the authority to write prescriptions.
What Are The Job Roles For An ANP?
Johnson & Johnson cites these functions as key:
- Performing routine screenings and check-ups
- Ordering lab tests
- Diagnosing diseases and other illnesses
- Determining appropriate types of treatment
Job Characteristics
- Work is highly structured.
- Responsibilities are multifaceted.
- Jobs tends to be patient-facing.
- Job demands require independence.
What Education & Certification Is Needed For An ANP?
Following this career path requires becoming an RN, on-the-job experience, achieving advanced practice status, and becoming certified. AllNursingSchools indicates that RN candidates must complete either an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Another option is completion of a hospital nursing program. After graduation, candidates must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) to qualify for licensing in their state of choice.
Licensed RNs can advance to adult nurse practitioners after completing a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) that includes a specialization in adult or gerontological nursing. An MSN typically requires hundreds of hours of clinical experience in addition to coursework. ANPs might also elect to earn doctorates. Some colleges and universities permit some or all courses to be completed online. Certification is available from two professional organizations.
Among the schools that offer ANP programs are:
What Are The Degree Requirements For An ANP?
The minimum credential required for an ANP is a master’s degree in nursing. Most programs require two years to complete and include courses such as Advanced Health Assessment, Health Wellness Promotion, Population Based Healthcare, and Advanced Pharmacology, according to Nursing Examiner .
What Certification is Needed To Be An ANP?
Nurses can earn an ANP certification two ways. The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners offers an Adult Nurse Practitioner designation. However, this exam will be retired in December 2016. The American Nurses Credentialing Center awards the ANP-BC certification. Both credentials require a combination of education and specific work experience.
What Are the CEU Requirements As An ANP?
Continuing education requirements have been published by each state. A list of continuing education requirements for each state can be found in our CNE guide. Renewing an ANP certification also requires a specific amount of completed continuing education points.
Historically, a majority of employers have paid for offsite training, whether in a classroom or online. Many now opt to schedule on-site clinical, regulatory, and ethics training. Continuing education offerings are also available to members from professional organizations such as the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses .
Where Can I Work As An ANP?
The most common places where ANPs work include:
- Nursing homes
- Long-term care facilities
- Community health clinics
- Group provider clinics
- Hospitals
- Prisons
- Geriatric practices
- Urgent care facilities
- Veterans’ hospitals
- Hospices
- Home health care agencies
- College or university nursing programs
Vonda J. Sines is a freelance writer based in the Washington, DC area. She specializes in health/medical, career, and pet topics and writes extensively about Crohn's disease. Her work has been published at EverydayHealth, Lifescript, womansday.com, Yahoo! Health, Catholic Digest, Angie's List Health, and on many more sites.
