Nurse practitioners are advanced healthcare providers who care for their patients by diagnosing their illnesses and prescribing treatment plans. Creating and striving to reach career goals as a nurse practitioner is important because it allows them to design career plans and improve their professional credentials. If you’re a nurse practitioner or interested in becoming one, learning more about career goal-setting can be beneficial. In this article, we explain what nurse practitioners are, detail why career goals are important for them, provide example goals, and review some helpful goal-setting tips.
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What are nurse practitioners?
Nurse practitioners are healthcare professionals who assist other professionals and make comprehensive care plans for their patients. They’re advanced mid-level practitioners who collaborate with other healthcare professionals to create cohesive care units. Nurse practitioners have more abilities than registered nurses or other nursing professionals, as they can often prescribe medication and treatment. Many nurse practitioners choose specialties like cardiology or mental health to focus on.
Why are career goals for nurse practitioners important?
Before setting career goals, it’s important to understand your reasons. There are many benefits to creating defined career goals, and depending on your situation they can vary. Understanding the reasons for your goals can make it easier to make them and achieve them. These are some reasons why setting career goals as a nurse practitioner is important:
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Advance in the healthcare field: The healthcare industry is continuously advancing as researchers find new methods for treatment and create advanced medicines. Creating career goals centered on improvement, skill development, and healthcare knowledge can help you learn more about developments and offer your patients the best care possible.
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Earn more money in your position: Depending on the career goals you set, they may help you earn more money as a nurse practitioner. Starting your own practice, earning certifications, or specializing, for example, may provide you with more opportunities for higher earnings.
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Improve your performance: Career goals can give you something to work for, increase your motivation, and improve your performance. You can improve your performance by offering the best care to your patients and striving for continuous improvement.
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Contribute to personal development: Though career goals advance your professional development, you can also support your personal development with career goals. Professional goals can help you earn more money and have more free time, which may help you achieve a personal development goal of traveling more or completing courses.
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Design a detailed career plan: Career goals are important because they allow you to create a career plan that outlines your objectives and the steps you can take to reach them. For example, if you know that you want to start your own practice or become a nurse manager, you can plan to complete an advanced degree or learn more about business management.
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Reduce stress and career anxiety: Goal-setting can help reduce your stress or career anxiety by helping you clarify what you want from your nurse practitioner career. This allows you to create a plan and know what to do next, which can relieve decision anxiety and career stress.
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Communicate better with management: Your supervisors or managers may have discussions with you about your career and ask you about your goals. Setting them before these conversations can help you communicate with your manager better, allowing them to support you in reaching your goals.
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Use your professional time efficiently: By knowing what you want, you may use less time pursuing avenues that don’t support your overall goals and help you advance your career. Management may be more likely to provide resources to those who have clear expectations and developed career goals.
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9 nurse practitioner career goals examples
Depending on your educational path and personal goals, your professional nurse practitioner goals can vary. Consider speaking with friends, family, and experts in the field when determining which career goals are best for you. These are some nurse practitioner career goal examples you can use as inspiration when creating your own:
1. Choose a specialization
As a nurse practitioner, finding a passion and choosing a specialization can help you earn more and spend more time doing what you love. You may set the goal of choosing a specialization and pursuing credentials to support that focus. Some specializations you may choose include psychiatry, pediatrics, and cardiology.
Example goal: My professional goal is to choose a specialization after two years of experience and complete three certifications that support that specialization.
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2. Complete the NCBE
The National Certification Board Exam is an assessment that shows your competency as a nurse practitioner. It includes information about clinical knowledge and practices. Completing it shows your ability to practice as a nurse practitioner in your chosen specialty.
Example goal: My professional goal is to take and pass the National Certification Board Exam and obtain board certification in my pediatrics specialty.
3. Earn a leadership position
If you’re a natural leader or want to learn more as a nurse practitioner, you may pursue leadership positions. This can be a great career goal because it can help you strive to improve your performance and demonstrate to the hiring professionals and your supervisor that you’re capable of leadership. Leadership skills are also transferable to many other positions and situations.
Example goal: My professional goal is to earn a position in leadership. I would especially like to be the nursing manager for the cardiology department at the hospital where I work.
4. Complete a terminal degree
A terminal degree in any subject is the highest educational credential you can earn. Depending on the type of nursing you do, the terminal degree can vary. Earning a terminal degree is often a requirement for teaching in formal academic settings.
Example goal: My professional goal is to complete a Ph.D. in nursing.
5. Start a medical practice
Healthcare professionals may choose to start their practices to have more control over their schedules and the care they provide. If you enjoy business and management, you may enjoy starting your medical practice. This can be a great career goal because it incorporates finances and professional skills.
Example goal: My professional goal is to fund and start my mental health care medical practice in my name with other nurse practitioners.
6. Become a mentor for others
Becoming a mentor means you have excellent leadership skills and substantial experience in your field. This can be a great career goal for those interested in teaching or training new nurses. If you enjoy passing on your knowledge, consider a mentorship nursing goal.
Example goal: My professional goal is to have at least one mentee who values my opinion. I want to provide them with quality advice and help them develop their own career goals.
7. Have an expansive network
Having a professional network can help you find career opportunities and advance within your field. You can grow your network by attending industry events and creating professional relationships with others. Being specific about the number of contacts you want in your network can help you make this a specific and achievable goal.
Example goal: My professional goal is to have at least 50 professional contacts, 10 of which I could comfortably contact for professional advice.
8. Help your patients improve
As a nurse practitioner, finding a passion and choosing a specialization can help you earn more and spend more time doing what you love. You may set the goal of choosing a specialization and pursuing credentials to support that focus. Some specializations you may choose include psychiatry, pediatrics, and cardiology.
Example goal: My professional goal is to reach a 70% success rate for my client’s diagnosis and treatment plans.
9. Achieve work-life balance
Work-life balance refers to a healthy amount of time in your life for both professional and personal development. For many nurses, achieving a healthy work-life balance can be difficult, especially when the hospital or facility they work for is short-staffed. Consider pairing this career goal with others to make it more specific and measurable.
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