Students in high school and college endure the same questioning almost everyday: “What are you going to be?” For many students, their career choice flip-flops multiple times and will most likely change at least once before graduating college. For those wishing to go into the healthcare field, but not desiring to become a doctor, there is another path median of the more extreme courses of nurse and physician. The glorious light shining in the middle is a nurse practitioner. Because of its ambiguous nature, many people are not aware of the differences between a nurse and a nurse practitioner. The demarcation between these careers becomes crystal clear with the addition of some working definitions. Firstly, what are nurse practitioners? “Nurse practitioners are licensed, autonomous clinicians focused on managing people’s health conditions and preventing disease.” …show more content…
After certification, one is able to train and specialize. Additionally, when preparing to major in nursing in college, it is necessary to complete classes of chemistry, biology, and algebra in high school. Also, it is highly recommended to complete additional classes such as statistics, psychology, and anatomy as well as participate in extracurriculars pertaining to health care. (NPS) After high school, there are various paths to becoming an RN, but for the sake of simplicity, only one path will be discussed now. A Bachelor’s Degree in nursing normally requires four years of college. (NPS) After completion of an undergraduate degree, a certification exam must be passed in order to become an RN and continue the path to an NP. Once certified, one to two years of additional training prepares an aspiring NP for their next four years obtaining a Graduate Degree. (NPS) Furthermore, after these extensive years of schooling, passing of a national certification exam transitions an RN to an NP.