How to Become a Nurse Practitioner
Planning to go further with your nursing career? Do you wish to do more with your patients and offer a deeper level of care? Level up your skills as a health care provider and become a nurse practitioner!
What is a Nurse Practitioner?
A nurse practitioner (NP) is an experienced registered nurse (RN) who provides an advanced level of healthcare in a clinical role. All NP’s must hold a Master’s degree and be endorsed by the Nurse and Midwives Board of Australia (NMBA). Nurse practitioners are a valued and integral part of the healthcare workforce in Australia.
The role was originally designed in response to the increasing demand for healthcare, especially in rural and remote locations where there may be a lack of available health professionals. A nurse practitioner possesses extensive clinical knowledge and offers nurses the opportunity to grow their career beyond a RN.
General responsibilities
As a nurse practitioner, you will be able to treat medical conditions without the direct supervision of a doctor. NP’s are clinical and professional leaders that are usually placed where their advanced training and expertise will be of most value. Nurse practitioners can be expected to work autonomously as well as in collaboration with other healthcare professionals. Further, you can work in additional professional settings that are not available to regular nurses.
The responsibilities can vary from day-to-day, and you can take on different roles in a wide selection of healthcare settings. In particular, a NP will:
- Refer patients directly to other healthcare practitioners
- Diagnose a patient’s health problem
- Order as well as interpret diagnostic tests
- Prescribe medication
- Collaborate with your patients, their families, and other health professionals to establish and implement treatment modalities.
- Give continuous health care to your patient.
These are just some of the tasks you’ll be able to do as a nurse practitioner, depending on your authority to practice.
Qualifications and experience
First, for you to qualify for as a nurse practitioner, you must be a registered nurse (current) in Australia. Your registration should not have any conditions pertaining to undesirable professional performance as well as unprofessional conduct. If you’re not already a registered nurse, you will need to study a Bachelor of Nursing degree and apply for registration.
To then become a NP, you must further graduate from a Master of Nursing, and possess at least three years (5,000 hours) exposure to a specialty clinical practice within the past 6 years, as well as a year of relevant advanced practice. Your Master of Nursing must be accredited by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC). According to Section 49(1) of the National Law, you won’t be able to register as a nurse practitioner if the program is not.
Once you have completed the necessary master’s degree program, you may apply for endorsement from the NMBA. Only then may call yourself a Nurse Practitioner, and be employed in a corresponding role.
Salary, wages and pay rates
The salary or wages of nurse practitioners in Australia are dictated by the Nurse Award (2010), but also individual state awards and agreements which set higher minimum pay standards the Nurse Award. Further nurse practitioners who work in a private practice will generally be paid more than roles in the public sector.
As of 1st July 2018, the starting salary for nurse practitioners working in a public hospital in either NSW or QLD was just over $120,000 per year, or $2,323 per week. Comparatively NP’s in VIC are paid less and will receive a minimum of $105,000 per annum or $2025 per week in the same role. In some states, these figures are adjusted on an annual basis to combat inflation and increasing demand.
A nurse practitioner is one of the most senior roles you can become as a nurse and therefore receive some of the highest salaries and wages in the profession – second only to nursing directors.
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Who’s this role for?
The role of a nurse practitioner is for someone who wishes to advance further and enhance their nursing skills. This is perfect for you if you desire to pursue a more profound specialised professional practice in nursing and healthcare such as immunology, cardiology, orthopaedics, occupational health, oncology, and more.
Career prospects and opportunities
A whole new world of clinical practice becomes open for you once you become a nurse practitioner. The knowledge and skills you will acquire in the Masters program will make you flexible and adaptable. You’ll be able to work with most multi-disciplinary teams, and have the opportunity to apply advanced assessment and diagnostic principles. Your scope of practice will spread in a a wide variety of areas including, but not limited to:
- Geriatric care
- Maternal health
- Mental health
- Perioperative care
- Paediatric care
- Primary care
- Critical care
- Acute or palliative care
Nurse practitioners have played a major role in filling in the gaps in health care services throughout Australia. The job market will continue to grow, and you will be able to have the chance to start your own private practice.
Furthering your knowledge is an investment, something that will continue to be of benefit to you throughout the years. Hospitals will always welcome nurse practitioners, and there will always be room for you in your community. The career advancement will continue to challenge you as you grow. You will be able to reach out and make a difference to your community, especially in far-flung areas where healthcare is hard to get to.