New Hampshire Nurse Practitioner Programs
After gaining work experience as a registered nurse, you may be ready to take on more responsibility as a nursing professional and play a greater role in patient care. If you want to have a positive impact on the nursing community of New Hampshire, you may want to look into becoming a nurse practitioner. Nurse practitioners in this state can provide primary care services to children, adults, and elderly citizens.
It’s no secret that much of the country, including New Hampshire, is going through a fairly severe doctor shortage. GazetteNet notes that nurse practitioners are seen as the solution to the New England doctor shortage. Patients with common or acute problems may see nurse practitioners for the majority of their care, leading to shorter wait times and more affordable health services.
Nurse practitioners may have mainly worked in family clinics in the past, but that is quickly changing. The Concord Patch reports that nurse practitioners have been approved for state veterans’ homes. According to the Sentinel Source, a New Hampshire hospital has opened a program to combat drug abuse. This program utilizes the services of nurse practitioners for much of its patient care needs. Similarly, nurse practitioners are hired for urgent care clinics around New Hampshire.
If you would like to become a nurse practitioner, keep reading to learn more about nurse practitioner programs in New Hampshire, then request information from those that interest you most.
Nurse Practitioner Program Curriculum in New Hampshire
To become a nurse practitioner, you must earn a Master’s degree or a doctoral degree in nursing. You may be able to earn a Master’s degree in roughly two years, while a doctoral degree may take approximately six years of full-time study. In a graduate program, you may earn 30 to 40 credits in advanced nursing courses. Doctoral programs may double the amount of credits you earn.
As you move through the curriculum of your nurse practitioner curriculum, you may take increasingly difficult classes that build your core set of nursing skills. You may begin your education with courses like Families in Health and Illness, Advanced Pharmacology, Advanced Health and Illness Appraisal, and Nursing Science. This may give way to advanced courses like Families in Health and Illness, Primary Care of Families, Population Health Promotion, and Clinical Epidemiology & Decision Analysis. Clinical work is crucial in a nurse practitioner program, so plan on spending over 600 hours in various clinical settings.
Nursing scholarships and grants are available throughout New Hampshire, giving you many chances to save money on your nursing education. The Claire Martin Memorial Scholarship is offered by the New Hampshire Nurse Practitioner Association. Scholarships are also available through the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and the New Hampshire Health Care Association.
Working as a Nurse Practitioner in New Hampshire
The New Hampshire Board of Nursing is responsible for overseeing the practice of nurse practitioners in New Hampshire. After you complete your nurse practitioner education, you can apply to become an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse.
In New Hampshire, you may enjoy a great job outlook as a nurse practitioner. Between 2012 and 2022, O*Net anticipates a 31 percent increase in nurse practitioner jobs. This is on par with national job growth (O*Net, 2012).
Across the board, nursing salaries in New Hampshire are higher than the national average, so you may earn a competitive range of salaries in this position. O*Net reports an average salary of $96,600 per year.
Nurse practitioners are a prominent part of New Hampshire health care. Take your part in this field by contacting New Hampshire nurse practitioner schools today.