We live in very challenging economic times with high unemployment and must face a hyper-active job market. One recession-proof career path you may want to pursue during these times is that of a nurse practitioner. A nurse practitioner has a much wider scope of abilities in comparison to a registered nurse. A nurse practitioner is involved in educating patients, running tests and prescribing treatments. One of the key differences between a registered nurse and a nurse practitioner is that a nurse practitioner has the ability to prescribe medicine. Let’s take a look at why this is an excellent career path to march forward with.
One of the best things about pursuing a career as a nurse practitioner is that this career is embedded in the healthcare industry, which means that there is substantial job security provided. This is a highly recession-proof industry because of the fact that the population of older people continues to expand rapidly. This segment of the population requires significant medical care and attention and nurse practitioners provide this in a high-quality, cost-effective way. While the education process of becoming a nurse practitioner is more costly in comparison to becoming a nurse, a nurse practitioner can expect to make an average of $12,000 more per year than a nurse does. This makes it very attractive to pursue a career as a nurse practitioner. Another major benefit of working as a nurse practitioner is the benefit packages these workers receive. Some of the fringe benefits that nurse practitioners can expect include health insurance, 401(k) retirement plan and paid vacation and sick leave.
There is no doubt that we live in very tough economic times with high unemployment and must deal with an ultra competitive job market. One choice you can make is to earn a master’s degree in nursing and become a nurse practitioner. This field enjoys substantial job security because it is embedded in the healthcare industry. Nurse practitioners can expect to make substantially more per year relative to registered nurses and it can really be worth it long-term to spend money to receive your master’s degree. Lastly, nurse practitioners enjoy many great fringe benefits.