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Nurse practitioners are healthcare providers who perform a range of advanced clinical services while managing the broad scope of patient primary care. This may include conducting physical exams and screenings, identifying health conditions, requesting diagnostic tests and lab work and prescribing medication. Nurse practitioner duties can , the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports.

These professionals are also recognized as a type of advanced practice registered nurses (APRN), along with , according to BLS. While some may work independently, they also collaborate with other healthcare professionals, depending on the medical case. Within the nurse practitioner career, you can work within a specialty, such as geriatric, pediatric or psychiatric patient care.

As an alternative, nurse practitioners can deliver to patients. Whereas primary care focuses on holistic and preventative care of patients throughout their lives, acute care prioritizes short-term treatment of severe injuries or illnesses, as well as complex or persistent health conditions. Nurse practitioners administering acute care generally work in intensive or acute care units, emergency departments or specialty clinics. 

While each state has its own specific criteria to obtain nurse practitioner certification, at the minimum, you must be a registered nurse (RN) with a graduate degree in nursing specific to a nurse practitioner career, an active RN license and advanced clinical training.