Right now, there is a shortage of nurses in the United States, making this a great option for people searching for an exciting career with plenty of job openings. If you want to work as a nurse, there are many routes from which to choose, including that of a nurse practitioner. Also called NPs, nurse practitioners have specific education and certification, which gives them certain privileges above and beyond those of a registered nurse (RN).

If you’re interested in a career as a nurse practitioner, your first step is to become a registered nurse. This requires an associate’s degree in nursing or a Bachelor or Science degree in nursing. Afterwards, the RN candidate must complete hands-on patient care training. Nurse practitioners must have the bachelor’s degree, though they may opt to get an associate’s degree and work as a nurse for a few years first, as employers often offer to pay for advanced education. In most locations, nurse practitioners are also required to have a master’s degree. During the education process, most nurse practitioners choose a specialty, and after completion of their education, they must be licensed by the state where they work. In addition, nurse practitioners may choose to be nationally certified, which may also be a requirement in some states.

Nurse practitioners perform a wide range of services, according to the United States National Library of Medicine. Some of these services overlap with the services performed by registered nurses or other kinds of nurses and can include compiling patients’ histories, doing exams, calling for testing, diagnosing and treating medical conditions, prescribing medications, referring patients to specialists, and performing medical procedures. Your exact duties as a nurse practitioner depend on the state where you practice. In some places, you may be able to have an independent practice, while in others, you need to be affiliated with a medical doctor.

As a nurse practitioner, there are many choices you have in terms of specialty. Some of the most common nurse practitioner specialties include family practice, cardiology, neonatology, oncology, women’s health, geriatrics, nephrology, or pediatrics. Nurse practitioners can also specialize in school health and work at schools, practice primary care medicine, or work in the fast-paced emergency room environment. Nationally certified exams are offered in many of these specialty areas.

Nurse practitioners must commonly work at clinics, hospitals, and private offices, but there are other employer opportunities as well, including nursing homes, government health departments, veteran’s organizations, and health care agencies. No matter where you work, there are tons of incentives to becoming a nurse practitioner as well, since many employers are so short-staffed that they offer not only tuition programs, but also high salaries, excellent benefits, and other perks. Right now is a great time to pursue a job in this industry, and the advanced degree you’ll get as a nurse practitioner can really boost you to the top of the candidate list when applying for jobs.

Nowadays, earning an advanced nursing degree online from the comfort of your own home is quite simple. The following schools are tops in the nation in terms of delivering a quality, accredited online nursing practition education.

MSN - Clinical Nursing MSN - Family Nursing MSN - Nurse Admin MSN - Women's Health More...	University of Cincinnati — The MS in nursing degree program with a specialization in women's health practice offered online by the University of Cincinnati is geared toward nursing students wanting to receive expert training on women's health issues. Cincinnati also offers many other nurse practitioner degree programs, including MSN specialties in clinical nursing, nurse administration, family nursing, nurse midwifery, and mental health nursing.
MSN for Nurse Practitioners	South University — South University has built a reputation on class flexibility and affordability and their general MSN program for nurse practitioners is no exception. This program is ideal for busy working healthcare nurses and professionals looking for advancement in their respective careers.
MS in Nursing MSN / MBA Dual Degree MSN / MHA Dual Degree MSN - Health Education MSN - Health Informatics	University of Phoenix — The Master of Science in nursing for nurse practitioners from the University of Phoenix is a flexible online program from an accredited school. Students will learn advanced nursing skills, finance, change management, and evidence-based nursing research. Upon completion, graduates will be well prepared to advance their nursing careers. MSN specialties are offered in health education and health informatics. Dual degrees (MSN + MBA and MSN + MHA) are also available.
MSN for Nurse Practitioners - Acute Care	Liberty University — Liberty's Master of Science degree program in nursing is geared toward individuals interested in acute care nursing. Students of this program will be trained to become a clinical nursing specialist (CNS) in acute care. Liberty University is the largest online evangelical Christian university in the nation.
RN to MSN - Practitioner MSN - Nurse Education MSN - Nurse Leadership	Gonzaga University — Gonzaga's RN to MSN degree program will dutifully prepare anyone for a career as a nurse practitioner. Students of this program learn administrative, human capital management, financial, ethical, and legal skills. Other programs are offered in nurse education and health systems leadership.
MS in Nursing - RN Track RN to MSN - Informatics RN to MSN - Education RN to MSN - Leadership	Walden University — The Walden School of Nursing offers several unique master's in nursing degree programs for the aspiring nurse practitioner. For those RNs who have already obtained their BSN degrees, there are multiple fast-track MSN programs offered that will get you on the path to your degree as fast as possible. MSN specialty programs are available in subjects like informatics, education, and leadership.
MSN - Adult Acute Care MSN - Adult Psych Care MSN - Clinical Trials MSN - Nursing Leadership	Drexel University — Drexel's MSN - adult acute care nurse practitioner program is geared toward preparing students for professional nursing practice with acutely ill patients. Graduates of this program can find careers in several settings, including ICUs, clinics, emergency departments, medical research laboratories, and more. Programs are also available in adult psychiatric care, clinical trials, and nursing leadership.
MSN - Nurse Educator MSN - Nurse Educator Bridge	Capella University — The master's degree in nursing education is taught in two flavors by Capella University. The regular MSN in nursing education is geared toward nurses with a BSN under their belts. They also offer an MSN bridge degree in nursing education that is designed for bachelor's degree holders in other subjects not related to nursing.
MS in Nursing	Benedictine University — The online Master of Science degree in nursing program from Benedictine University prepares students to become nurse educators, leaders, administrators, case coordinators, managed care consultants, and more. This program is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
MSN - Nurse Admin MSN - Nurse Education	Kaplan University — The MSN nurse administration and nurse education degree programs from Kaplan allows nurses with bachelor's degrees to take their careers to the next level. Students of these programs will learn advanced nursing theory, health policy, evidence-based decision making, financing, and more.
MSN - Nurse Education MSN/MBA - Leadership MSN - Nursing Leadership	Grand Canyon University — Grand Canyon University is always worth a look for students seeking a well-rounded education that integrates the ideals of the Christian belief set. GCU is not only one of the most renowned Christian universities in the nation, but also offers a variety of graduate-level nursing degrees for students to choose from, including nursing education and nursing leadership (also with an MBA option).
RN to MSN Bridge MSN - Health Mgmt	Loyola University of New Orleans — Two online degree programs are offered at Loyola University of New Orleans for aspiring nurse practitioners. Their RN to MSN bridge program covers topics of leadership, community health, health promotion, and professional development to help prepare students for careers as nurse practitioners. Loyola also offers an online MSN degree in health care systems management.
MSN - Clinical Leadership	St. Xavier University — The online MSN program from St. Xavier University has a focus on clinical nurse leadership, ideal for any student who is looking for an advanced nursing role within the healthcare industry. Nurse leaders help identify, design, implement, and evaluate critical administrative processes to enhance patient care.
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