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Nurse Practitioners

Also called: Gastroenterology Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Family Practice Certified Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner

Where in the Air Force? In the Air Force: Privileged Advanced Practice Nurse (P-APN), Adult Nurse Practitioner or Acute Care Nurse Practitioner; Privileged Advanced Practice Nurse (P-APN), Adult Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner; Privileged Advanced Practice Nurse (P-APN), Family Nurse Practitioner; Privileged Advanced Practice Nurse (P-APN), Pediatric Nurse Practitioner; Privileged Advanced Practice Nurse (P-APN), Women's Health Care Nurse Practitioner

What they do:
Diagnose and treat acute, episodic, or chronic illness, independently or as part of a healthcare team. May focus on health promotion and disease prevention. May order, perform, or interpret diagnostic tests such as lab work and x rays. May prescribe medication. Must be registered nurses who have specialized graduate education.
On the job, you would:
  • Prescribe medication dosages, routes, and frequencies based on patients' characteristics such as age and gender.
  • Order, perform, or interpret the results of diagnostic tests such as complete blood counts (CBCs), electrocardiograms (EKGs), and radiographs (x-rays).
  • Analyze and interpret patients' histories, symptoms, physical findings, or diagnostic information to develop appropriate diagnoses.

Knowledge

Health
  • medicine and dentistry
  • therapy and counseling
Math and Science
  • psychology
  • biology
Arts and Humanities
  • English language
Business
  • customer service

Skills

Basic Skills
  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • reading work related information
Problem Solving
  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Social
  • understanding people's reactions
  • looking for ways to help people

Abilities

Verbal
  • listen and understand what people say
  • communicate by speaking
Ideas and Logic
  • notice when problems happen
  • make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
Attention
  • do two or more things at the same time
  • pay attention to something without being distracted
Hand and Finger Use
  • put together small parts with your fingers

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include helping people, teaching, and talking.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Integrity
  • Dependability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Concern for Others
  • Self Control
  • Analytical Thinking

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Medical software
  • eClinicalWorks software
  • GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
Spreadsheet software
  • Microsoft Excel
Electronic mail software
  • Microsoft Outlook

Education

Education: (rated 5 of 5)
master's degree
usually needed

Get started on your career:

Find Training Find Certifications Eligible for the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program

Job Outlook

Bright Outlook
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
Salary
$89,960
per year, on average
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See more details at O*NET OnLine about nurse practitioners.