10 nurse practitioner employment opportunities

Nurse practitioners are in high demand in a variety of settings. In fact, the breadth of nurse practitioner career options may be wider than you realize.

“Nurse practitioners work in a tremendous amount of settings,” said Theresa M. Campo, DNP, APRN, FAANP, FAAN vice president of Education and Accreditation at the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). “Anywhere a patient needs care, a nurse practitioner is there to provide it.”

Whether you’re new to the profession or are looking to make a change, here are 10 nurse practitioner jobs that are worth exploring.

1. Family practice

Family practice is the career path that almost 70% of NPs choose, according to the AANP. That’s likely due to a family NP's broad scope of responsibilities. These professionals work in multiple environments, from hospitals to outpatient clinics, providing comprehensive care to patients of all ages.

Family NPs are in high demand, making it more likely that providers can find a role that suits their schedule and work-life balance needs. Additionally, many find focusing on holistic and preventative care rewarding.

As with any healthcare role, family NPs may face high stress and physically demanding work, depending on the setting.

2. Specialist practice

NPs can specialize in several areas beyond family practice, including acute care, gerontology, neonatal care, pediatric care, psychiatric care, and women’s health. Specialist providers can work within inpatient settings or in outpatient clinics.

In the hospital, specialist NPs could work with groups like cardiology, gastroenterology, or endocrinology or focus on emergency care or intensive care.

Hospitals can be exciting, dynamic workplaces that offer a variety of NP career options. However, working in a hospital generally involves long hours and the potential for night, weekend, and holiday shifts.

Private provider offices and groups offer another range of career choices, including primary, specialty, and urgent care settings.  “You could be in an office setting where you're seeing patients from the same practice on a regular basis and having scheduled appointments to something like an urgent care, walk-in clinic, where it's similar to an emergency department — there may be some appointments, but you don't know what's coming through the door and you need to be prepared for that,” explained Campo.

Private clinics often keep standard weekday business hours, which some NPs prefer to the 24/7 nature of hospital work.

Take a break: Using locum tenens to take a sabbatical

3. Home health

NPs working in home health can make a significant difference in their patients' lives. The care these NPs provide may help patients remain in their homes. Furthermore, demand for home health NPs will only increase as the population continues to age.

Home health NPs often work with a great deal of independence and autonomy, which enables them to build strong, ongoing relationships with their patients.

One downside of this work is the possibility of feeling isolated. Another is the amount of time spent traveling between patient homes, along with the wear and tear on your vehicle.

4. Telehealth

Telehealth opens a whole new realm of opportunity for patients and providers alike. Telehealth allows NPs to choose full-time, part-time, or PRN roles. NPs can provide telehealth care as one aspect of a traditional healthcare practice or focus entirely on telehealth. Demand for telehealth services continues to grow, with the need extending to nearly all specialties.

Telehealth enables providers to make healthcare accessible to patients, particularly those who lack transportation or who live in rural or underserved areas. However, NPs may find some aspects of telehealth challenging, such as the inability to perform thorough physical examinations or the lack of in-person interaction.

5. Military

Working as a civilian NP for the U.S. military can be a fulfilling way to use your skills to serve military personnel and their families. “Nurse practitioners are working in their full capabilities within the military,” said Campo. Joining the military can also open a new set of career pathways and access to continued professional training.

The military offers international and stateside opportunities and top-notch benefits, although the hiring process is typically lengthy and demanding.

6. Locum tenens

Of all the career options, locum tenens for nurse practitioners offers the most flexibility for NPs. “I can pretty much direct my schedule as we go,” said Diana Armstrong, an NP who specializes in orthopedics. Armstrong became a locum tenens provider after working decades in full-time roles. During her first year working locums, she realized she could take time off over the holidays for the first time in her career.

“It’s nice to be able to pick your assignment and where you want to go and meet all kinds of different people,” she said. You can select short-term or long-term assignments with locums and stay close to home or explore all new places. Locums can also be a great NP side gig that supplements an NP’s regular employment.

One drawback for Armstrong is the need to learn new workflows and IT systems at each new facility. “It was extremely difficult for me in the beginning,” she said.

7. Healthcare administration

As their careers progress, some NPs choose to transition into healthcare administration as an option for non-clinical nurse practitioner jobs. These management roles enable NPs to make an impact by influencing policy decisions and improving patient care on a larger scale.

This broader impact can make healthcare administration fulfilling, but some NP administrators miss hands-on patient care and dislike the stress that can come with administrative positions.

8. Academics/education

Academics and education can be a rewarding way for NPs to influence the profession and shape future practitioners. With a focus on evidence-based practice and leading-edge nursing theory, primary research is another way for NPs to contribute to the study of data, practices, and patient outcomes. Academics offers a variety of in-person and online teaching opportunities.

Becoming an educator may require additional education, and you may need to relocate to find a job with a nursing school.

9. Advocacy

If you’re searching for NP career options that will enable you to make a significant impact, health policy advocacy may be the right path for you. Advocates research and design policies to improve health, influencing decision-makers and lawmakers to adopt these policies. Advocates can work within nonprofit, healthcare, or governmental organizations.

Holding public office may be the ultimate way to advocate for healthcare change.  “We have nurse practitioners who have run for and hold political office at the local, state, and federal level, which is extremely exciting,” Campo said.

Creating change for patients and public health can be enormously satisfying, but it does take a great deal of patience and persistence. Advocates should be prepared for lengthy campaigns with no guarantee of success.

10. Consulting

NP consultants bring their expertise to help healthcare organizations establish new programs or otherwise improve patient care. NP consultants can also help colleges or universities start or improve an NP educational program in the United States or internationally.

“There are universities throughout the world where U.S. nurses and nurse practitioners have shared their expertise, education, and resources to help build advanced practice nursing,” Campo said.

Becoming a consultant typically requires a great deal of experience as an NP, particularly in leadership roles, and consultant positions are less plentiful than other NP career options.

CompHealth can help you find the perfect NP job. Give us a call or view today's NP job opportunities.

CompHealth can help you find the perfect nurse practitioner job. Give us a call at 800.453.3030 or view today’s NP job opportunities.