How Do You Choose Your Nurse Practitioner Specialty?

One of the best things about being a nurse practitioner is the ability to work in almost any area of medicine. From neonatology to gerontology, NPs care for patients all across the lifespan. We can be found working in dermatology offices, cardiology clinics, ICU’s, and even own our own clinics in many states. So, how do you sort through all these options as you embark on your career path?

Your nurse practitioner specialty selection should be made with intentionality. Rather than applying to various programs on a whim, you must consider salary differences, the job market, and which subspecialties you will be permitted to work in with various specialty degrees. To work in the emergency department, for example, it’s natural to assume you should pursue an acute care nurse practitioner degree. The problem? Acute care NPs can’t treat children but kids frequent most ER’s across the country. To work in the emergency department, you should choose the family nurse practitioner specialty, or better yet get a dual degree.

When it comes to salary and the job market, nurse practitioners overall make a good living. But, working in a specialty like dermatology my net you tens of thousands more each year over choosing a specialty like women’s health. If you’ve got even a small inclination towards the psychiatric/mental health specialty, going this route will give you job security for life. Psychiatric nurse practitioners are in high demand.

Today, I’ve posted the second video in my series about the process of becoming a nurse practitioner titled “How to Select Your Nurse Practitioner Specialty”.

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