So. You think you want to be a nurse practitioner? You’ve just started your nursing career journey, and you just discovered the role of the NP, and it’s piqued your interest. Maybe it’s a career for you? You want to learn more about this new role, but where do you start?
Instead of waiting until you start practicing as a nurse, what about taking steps now to figure out if the NP role is for you?
Here are 15 things nursing students can do right now to prepare for NP school:
Online
- Membership to organizations including the AANP
- Reach out to online NPs – FreshNP!
- Reach out to NP students
While in school
- Introduce yourself to NPs
- Ask the RN and the NP questions
- Engage in learning
- Observe and volunteer every day
- Job shadow multiple NPs
Once you graduate
- Continue relationship with mentors and NPs
- Create new relationships with mentors and NPs
- Research NP programs and contact them directly
- Gain experience that will help you
- Attend a nursing conference – NTI
- Visit NP program campus (if possible)
- Make an informed decision before applying
Online
Membership to organizations including the AANP
This is the best place to start. You can learn about the role, including the history of the nurse practitioner role in healthcare. You can start creating professional connections with other like-minded students. I would encourage you to gain membership in as many organizations you can afford (we all know finances are tight for students).
Reach out to online NPs – FreshNP!
I mean c’mon, you know I had to mention this. You ARE reading a blog post online, so follow through and seek out as many nurse practitioners you can find online (there are many). The least of which is following me, The Fresh NP, and all of our online resources- including our Podcast!
Reach out to NP students
Both in person and online. Who better to explain what you’d be in for than the nurses who are walking in those shoes? If you have the chance, follow them during a clinical day. See all the things you’d be experiencing, including talking to them about how difficulty nurse practitioner school really is.
While in school
Introduce yourself to NPs
Break the ice and approach every nurse practitioner (NP) you find. Establish a rapport with all of the NPs who work in your facility. Make sure they know your name and know your interests. This will lay the groundwork for networking connections later in your NP school journey (we’ll explain that one later).
Ask the RN and the NP questions
Go right to the source. Approach any and every nurse practitioner (NP) you find. It doesn’t matter where they work, what setting or how long they’ve been in the role. Talk to them. Get some insight. Ask them how they decided to become an NP. And of course, ask for any tips or advice they have for a pre-NP student. Then when you’ve exhausted those efforts, burn the ear off of the nurses who interact with the NP. Learn things.
Engage in learning
Everywhere. I mean everywhere. There are free learning opportunities available online, at your clinical site, and in school. While I know you are overwhelmed with nursing school, pay attention to other learning opportunities that may shed some light on the NP role. I mean, maybe there’s a CEU activity offered, and a nurse practitioner is teaching it?
Observe and volunteer every day
I preach this to all my students both in person and online. Volunteer for everything. Get your hands dirty and become a master as anything and everything that crosses your path. Become resourceful and skilled so that when the opportunity arises, you can assist and work side by side with a nurse practitioner in a prepared and confident manner.
Job shadow multiple NPs
Walk in their shoes for a shift. Walk in all of their shoes. Soak up the different approaches, the different jobs, the different levels of experience, the different clinical responsibilities and of course the different views each nurse practitioner has about the profession itself. Take in the good and the bad to make an informed decision about your career aspirations.
Once you graduate
Continue relationship with mentors and NPs
Almost all nurses learn and start creating their professional portfolio during entry-level nursing school. It is a collection of all your experiences as a healthcare professional. Part of this collection is developing your reference list. If you have intentions of pursuing an advanced degree as a nurse practitioner (NP), having nurse mentors and practicing NPs on this list will help you get noticed and potentially increase your chances of placement when the time comes to apply for school or that next job.
Create new relationships with mentors and NPs
This parlays off the previous suggestion. Now you need to expand your professional networking by creating new relationships. This helps solidify your reputation because an outdated or old reference list screams laziness and stagnation.
Research NP programs and contact them directly
Be intentional with your choices. Don’t just enroll in a school because that’s where everyone else is going, or you heard “that’s a good school.” Do your research, talk with their curriculum director and any other faculty that is available. If possible, talk with current or former students to get a firm understanding of what the program offers and what to expect.
Gain experience that will help you
Don’t just coast through your career while waiting to enroll and graduate from nurse practitioner school. Seek out learning opportunities both formal and informal that will augment your career growth. Acquire certifications, enroll in leadership roles, volunteer to precept students and teach others every chance you get.
Attend a nursing conference
Networking is the cornerstone of professional growth. Attend a nursing conference no matter how small or large. Gain continuing education, while establishing new relationships with other nurses AND nurse practitioners. You never know when you may need to reach out, no one can predict their career future.
Visit an NP program campus (if possible)
If you have the ability or opportunity, make a physical visit to a nurse practitioner school. Talk with other students. Talk with faculty. Tour the campus and take in all aspects of the student life. You may discover something about the campus or program that convinces you of a decision you were unsure to make.
Make an informed decision before applying
After you’ve followed through with all the previously mentioned suggestions, you can confidently make an informed decision based on effort, research, and self-discovery. Weigh the pros and cons of each and formulate an honest plan.
Choosing and enrolling in nurse practitioner school is a monumental life event. You owe it to yourself to not take it lightly.
I especially like, “Talk to the schools directly.” I counsel a lot of students nervous about trying school again, but you get a much better feel for the culture of an institution in person or talking on the phone.