Job Duties of a Family Nurse Practitioner
Family Nurse Practitioners have a wide range of duties expected from their position. Aside from diagnosing and treating illnesses, they may order diagnostic exams or perform them, educate their patients and guide them toward a healthy lifestyle, understand the aging process and how it affects health at various stages in life, and emphasize patient preventative care and management. Nurse Practitioners who go into family care will find extreme job satisfaction as they follow their patients, monitoring their health throughout their lifetime.
Job Outlook and Salary for Family Nurse Practitioners
The Bureau of Labor Statistics states the average median salary for Nurse Practitioners, including Family Nurse Practitioners, is $98,190 as of May 2015. The entry level pay for NP’s is $70,540 and those who are in the top 10% will earn over $135,000 annually. The highest paying facilities are hospitals and outpatient care centers.
Employment for Nurse Practitioners of all specialties is expected to grow 31% through 2024 which is far faster than all other occupations. This growth is caused by the increase in demand for healthcare, thanks to the Affordable Care Act. Job prospects will continue to rise making it easier for those who are qualified to find excellent Family Nurse Practitioner positions.