Write an article based on this "Get graduate education in nursing. Get certified to work as a nurse practitioner. Get a job as a Nurse Practitioner."
Most Nurse Practitioners have obtained a Master's Degree of Science in Nursing (MSN). Master's programs are often designed around the needs of a working professional and frequently offer night and weekend classes. A MSN may take between two and seven years to complete, depending upon if the applicant is pursuing the degree full-time or part-time. Make sure to choose a graduate program that has been accredited by either the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC).  To be admitted to this graduate program, you will be required to have a Registered Nurse's license, a bachelor’s degree, and a minimum GPA in the bachelor's degree as determined by the prospective school. Applications often require a statement of purpose, personal history or professional history. Applications may also require an interview. A MSN degree, particularly one with a Nurse Practitioner concentration, prepares students for careers beyond entry-level and allows them to choose a specialty such as pediatrics, women's health, family care or geriatrics, among other fields. Be aware that there is a growing movement to require all Nurse Practitioners to have a Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) degree, or basically a doctoral degree. This degree requires three to four years of further education after a bachelor’s degree in nursing. After earning a MSN, take the certification examination administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).  Specialties that require certification in addition to licensing include pediatrics, family health, mental health, acute care, diabetes management and school nursing. Once certified, Nurse Practitioners can also choose to take a specialty examination that certifies they have additional knowledge and ability to practice. These specialty certifications include pain management, rehabilitation, cardiac rehabilitation, college health nursing, forensic nursing, diabetes management, nurse executive, pediatrics, and school nursing. Nurse practitioners are valued members of the healthcare team, providing cost effective care in the diagnosis, treatment and management of many acute and chronic illnesses. This variety in practice and ability to specialize offers practitioners many options in the work place. Jobs are available in hospitals, private practices, nursing homes, clinics, health departments, urgent care settings, healthcare technology companies, and Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), among many other institutions. Different ways of getting a job include consulting online job websites, contacting headhunters in nursing, consulting local hospital job postings, and networking with physicians, nursing managers and community clinics, among other methods.  The average salary of a NP is is $90,583 and the job outlook for NPs is considered excellent at present. This is because the numbers of primary care physicians is decreasing as the demand for healthcare services is rising thanks to the aging baby boomer generation. Other professional opportunities include teaching in schools and universities and working for governmental and military agencies. Note as well that about 15% of all Nurse Practitioners have their own private practices. There are also a growing number of nurse-run healthcare centers in the United States in which all healthcare is provided by nurse practitioners and other professionals. Keep in mind that not every state allows this — independent practitioners can only do this if it is within their state's scope of practice.