The first type of advanced nursing position that you might be interested in is that of a nurse practitioner. Nurse practitioners are in short supply, and they are finding themselves pushed forward in many ways when it comes to providing the first line of primary health care. Some of their duties will include conducting physicals, providing treatment, writing prescriptions and managing patients chronic conditions. Salaries for professionals in this position continue to rise, and there is an increasing need for them in specialty areas like women's health and gerontology.
Certified registered nurse anesthetists are among the nursing industry's highest paid and most highly educated professionals. They work in all settings, ranging from hospitals to private practices, and in many cases, they do hold an MSN from an accredited program in their field. This might be a good option for someone who is looking into independent practice, as there are possibilities where they can practice without the backing of any other entity.
If you have an interest in being involved in deliveries and in providing postpartum care, the position of a certified nurse midwife might be for you. While the majority of the births that are attended by nurse midwives are still conducted in hospitals, there are a growing number of midwives who practice at birthing centers and who will oversee at home births. Some do work independently, while others will work independently in conjunction with other midwives or with an OB/GYN. Comparatively, this might not be as high paying a job as other advanced nursing jobs, but the flipside is that in many cases, the professionals in question will be able to provide a higher quality of care with more of a personal slant.
Clinical nurse specialist is another position that you may be interested in if you are looking at advanced nursing jobs. These professionals are expert clinicians who have a specialization, whether it is a specific segment of the population, a disease, a setting or a specific sort of problem. Many professionals in this field have a master's or a PhD, and many are also nurse practitioners.
If you are in a position where you want to look into nursing and see what it might have to offer you, or you have been considering the field and wondering what it is all about, now is definitely the time to get started. There is a high demand for nurses, so make sure that you really consider how well this field might suit you.
