Tips on How to Become a Good Nurse Practitioner

A Nurse Practitioner is an advanced level of nursing practice. Only a registered nurse who has a graduate school degree (taken in two years) and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree can become a nurse practitioner. 

Now that you have an insight into the technical requirements, it’s time to become an excellent nurse practitioner. Below, are a few simple tips to keep in mind: 

Nurse Practitioner Conferences

Knowledge is essential, no matter how far you’re in your career. As part of the medical field, it is your duty and responsibility to keep yourself updated with the latest innovations and healthcare practices. 

Attending nurse practitioner conferences or seminars is a great way to be abreast of the latest in nursing care. Some medical organizations and hospitals conduct nurse practitioner conferences all year round, so you can attend those too.

You can also enroll in post-graduate education, or read through legitimate medical news sites or government organizations.

Practice Empathy

This is important for professionals in the medical field, especially with Nurse Practitioners. Each patient has their own story to tell, the pain they feel, and more. Being empathic is key to becoming a competent nurse practitioner as it gives you the ability to understand what the patients feel and respond genuinely. 

Authentic empathy, however, is hard to acquire and needs to be practiced often.

Become A Positive Reinforcement

In the hospital, a healthcare professional needs to stay calm and positive. Despite the pressure and the challenging conditions of their patients, they should do their best to provide the utmost care to their clients. Quick thinking and decision-making save lives, especially during emergency cases.

Be A Tenacious Nurse

Hard work and determination are always the key factors in becoming better in any field. A good nurse practitioner is someone who works hard and never gives up, no matter how impossible it seems. They always improve themselves in their practice and manage their time and energy.  

Honesty

And last but not least, a nurse practitioner must be honest in all means. In this field, it is essential to be ethical and trustworthy. Do your best in this job, put your foot down if you do not know what to do. Remember that as a nurse practitioner, your job is to save lives, never give the patient a reason not to trust you to do your job. 

When honesty is mentioned, this also correlated to transparency. In the healthcare setting, one way of ensuring transparency is proper documentation and charting. A reliable nurse practitioner should be able to document the care they have provided, medications, nursing diagnoses so that other members of the team are also up to date with the patient’s condition.

Team Player

Nurse Practitioners do not work alone. They collaborate with other healthcare professionals such as the pharmacist, nutritionist, doctor, and medical technologists. They communicate concerns to other departments effectively and work with them in addressing issues with the patient’s condition.  Being a Nurse Practitioner takes time. Attending conferences and seminars will help a lot in keeping you motivated during the entire process of becoming a Nurse Practitioner. Are you looking to become a nurse practitioner? If so, visit academicpartnerships.uta.edu/programs/master-of-science-in-nursing-family-nurse-practitioner.aspx.