Explore The Nurse Practitioner Profession

Any registered nurse who is able to complete an advanced education in nursing, normally a master's degree, and has trained in the fields of medical diagnosis and management is qualified to become a nurse practitioner. Nurse practitioners are medical professionals that can provide basic health care services like those performed by physicians. But how did the nurse practitioner profession come to be and what were the challenges along the way?

It was during the 1960s when a nurse educator, Dr. Loretta Ford, and Dr. Henry Silver started an education program for nurses at the University of Colorado. It was in response to the need of health staff in rural locations. The new program was initially developed in the field of pediatrics with the nursing model as its basis. This would be was one of the first nursing practitioner programs established and the late 1960s ushered the first graduates of the program.

Because the concept of a nurse practitioner was radical at the time, it did not sit well with others in the nursing education community. Many expressed their apprehension to the relatively new educational process. They argued that any nursing education program that trained nurses to become an extension of a physician conflicted with the general health care orientation of nurses. The apprehension eventually ended when there was growth in the number of nurse practitioners and the training and academic programs became formalized.

Interesting enough, it was only in the year 2000 that nurse practitioners could legally practice their profession in each state as well as in District of Columbia. However, the scope of their practice still varies according to the state. Various state nursing boards and government agencies regulate the practice of nurse practitioners.

Different regulations are set in terms of the legal relationship with physicians, direct reimbursement as well as their prescriptive authority. In almost all states as well as in District of Columbia, nurse practitioners hold prescriptive authority. Some state permit nurse practitioners to prescribe legend medicines only while others can issue controlled substances to patients.

There are a lot of nurse practitioners today that seek autonomy in their profession. They cite formal collaboration with physicians as their main form of cooperation with doctors. Yet, there are some states that view physician supervision as a common method of practice.

Currently, there are over 320 medical institutions that are offer master's or post-master's program for nurse practitioners. These programs are duly accredited by the Collegiate Nursing Education Commission, National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health (for nurse practitioner programs relating to women's health), and the Accrediting Commission of National League of Nursing. In 2000, 72 percent of those who graduated entered the pediatric, adult, and family nursing fields. This suggests that primary care remains the ultimate focus of most nurse practitioners.

Today, there are an estimated 95,000 nurse practitioners working in the United States, a big increase from a mere 28,000 during 1992. This represents an increase of 240 percent or more in a span of 8 years. Will the demand for nurse practitioners continue to rise? Nothing is for sure. However, as long as the nursing practitioner programs continue to evolve, there will be more nurses who will be interested with the profession.

For more information on the profession, such as nurse practitioner salary, jobs and programs, visit http://www.beanursepractitioner.com There you can also read an article on nurse practitioner job requirements.

Explore the Country As a Traveling Nurse

Traveling nurses are registered nurses who travel around the United States filling temporary nursing positions. If you are a nurse and you love to travel, then this may be the right career move for you. Most travel nurses enjoy the experience of traveling, meeting, and working with new coworkers. They hope to gain a well-rounded work experience that will serve them if they decide to settle on working full time at a specific medical facility. Many travel nurses claim that the experience allows them to develop a better understanding of their chosen specialty. Many travel nurses also claim that their unique work experiences have helped introduce them to better patient focused nursing.

Travel nurses are registered nurses, usually hired by travel nurse companies, who take temporary positions in a variety of settings in order to fill a shortage. Generally, they will work in the hospital setting, where shortages of nursing personnel are rampant.

Travel nurses also have the option of traveling to other countries experiencing shortages and may even become independent contractors. As an independent contractor, though, you must find your own housing, negotiate for pay, and pay your own insurance to name just a few things that you will be required to negotiate for on your own. But for our purposes, we will speak generally of travel nurses hired by travel nursing companies.

Hospitals hire nursing personnel, as well as other health care professionals, for a number of reasons. The major reason for hiring temporary help is to fill a gap in the numbers of nurses required. With such a shortage of qualified nurses today, many areas of the country are experiencing the deficit. Travel nurses bring a variety of knowledge and experience and are able to seamlessly fill these vacant positions.

Other areas of the country experience large population fluctuations which are more seasonal in nature. In some areas, the population can double due to these changes. For example, Florida experiences huge population shifts during the winter as snowbirds flock to warmer climates. Other areas have become huge tourist towns and require more professional help for the seasonal changes related to tourism.

Travel nurses are needed in both kinds of situations to fill a void in healthcare left by the fewer numbers of nurses.

Another reason where a nurse may find temporary employment while traveling is the opening of a new medical facility. Rather than hiring all new nurses, these new organizations benefit from the great experience of travel nurses. Newer staff members also gain from working with more experienced members of the nursing field.

Other areas of work in which a travel nurse may find temporary employment include: acute care facilities, outpatient surgery centers, assisted living or nursing homes, or working with children in schools or camps. Still other positions may include: physicians offices, correctional facilities, clinics or laboratories. Most places require at least one year of experience in the hospital setting.

Travel nurses generally enjoy a more lucrative salary than they would receive if they worked in a single location. The salary the travel nurse earns is generally based on the location where they are working. Typically a travel nurse will not earn as much working in a hospital in a rural community as they will earn working at a larger inner-city hospital. Some nurses prefer travel nursing to nursing in a single medical facility because they enjoy the opportunity to see the world and other cultures. Working in a constantly changing location challenges a travel nurses knowledge and talents. The skills that the travel nurse develops on their journeys are skills that they will be able to utilize should they settle on a home base.

Although most travel nursing jobs average 13 to 26 weeks, some can be as short as four weeks or as long as 52 weeks. Maybe you are looking to live in another state and want to be able to experience particular areas and the employment opportunities available in those areas. Travel nursing makes this possible while continuing to earn a living.

Travel nurses, generally, will be employed through a travel nurse agency. The agency is responsible for filling positions and medical facilities with qualified and interested candidates. These agencies usually have had a long relationship with hospitals, medical facilities, and medical professionals in certain parts of the country, sometimes, countrywide at larger agencies. A recruiter at the agency will assist the nurse with obtaining the proper state licensure or hospital requirements. You will have a contract drawn up by the agency, with the hospital, for salary, length of assignment, and hours worked. The travel nurse agency generally pays for travel expenses and will also have made living arrangements for you in your area of choice. If there are any professional criteria that must be met, your agency and recruiter will assist you with that as well.

There are some things that you need to consider before becoming a travel nurse. These are the things that can make up your mind on whether being a traveling nurse is the right choice for you. The jobs that you accept could take you away from your family for up to a year. Depending on how far away the job is could be another deciding factor. Generally it is best if you do not have pets because it is possible that the housing provided for you will not accept them. You will have to be licensed in every state that you choose to work in. These are things a good traveling nurse agency will help you work out.

If you are looking for a rewarding career that allows you to travel across the United States, then a career as a traveling nurse could be just what you're looking for. Look for agencies in your home town or on the Internet to help you get started on your journey as a travel nurse. They will help place you in a job that is right for you. Happy nursing.

For more information about an exciting new career in nursing, visit GoTravelNurse.com today and fill out a form to have someone contact you ASAP.