What Do Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioners Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for advanced practice nurse practitioners?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what advanced practice nurse practitioners do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioners Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about advanced practice nurse practitioners by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioners administer anesthesia, monitor patient’s vital signs, and oversee patient recovery from anesthesia. May assist anesthesiologists, surgeons, other physicians, or dentists. Must be registered nurses who have specialized graduate education.
Popular Job Titles For Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioners
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists
- Nurse Anesthetists
- Locums Tenens
- Anesthesiologists
- Locum Tenens Anesthesiologists
- Hospitalists
- Travel Radiology Technicians
- Anesthesia Assistants
- Locum Tenens Anesthesia Physicians
- Anesthetists
- Anesthesia Technicians
- Anesthesiology Residents
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for advanced practice nurse practitioners can be found.
Best Industries for Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioners
Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioners Jobs By Industry
- Offices of Physicians: 51.5%
- General Medical and Surgical Hospitals: 23.6%
- Offices of Other Health Practitioners: 5.6%
- Outpatient Care Centers: 5%
- Education and Hospitals (Local Government): 4.8%
- Education and Hospitals (State Government): 3.4%
- Other: 6.1%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of advanced practice nurse practitioners can be found working in the Offices of Physicians sector. In 2023, about 51.5% of all jobs for advanced practice nurse practitioners were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (23.6%), Offices of Other Health Practitioners (5.6%), Outpatient Care Centers (5%), Education and Hospitals (Local Government) (4.8%) and Education and Hospitals (State Government) (3.4%).
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Degree Options for Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioners
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 24
- Accreditation: CCNE
Learn and practice the skills you need to play a pivotal role in creating progressive healthcare programs, systems and processes that result in high-quality, affordable care for everyone.
- Class Type: Online coursework
- Years To Complete: 3-4
Unleash your potential by completing the online FNP Certificate program that readies you for an advanced role in nursing.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 24
- Accreditation: CCNE
Expand your scope of practice as an adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner, and become an expert in healthcare delivery for adolescents, adults and geriatric patients.
- Class Type: Online coursework
- Months To Complete: 27
- Accreditation: CCNE
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
- Class Type: Online coursework
- Months To Complete: 27
- Accreditation: CCNE
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Broaden your knowledge and your practice as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner equipped to provide a holistic approach toward healthcare.
- Months To Complete: 28
- Accreditation: CCNE
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
- Months To Complete: 24
- Accreditation: CCNE
Build on your Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or diploma in nursing with a streamlined path to the M.S. in Nursing.
- Class Type: Online coursework
- Months To Complete: 16-30
- Accreditation: CCNE
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Do Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioners Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what advanced practice nurse practitioners do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work advanced practice nurse practitioners do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that advanced practice nurse practitioners tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for advanced practice nurse practitioners, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioners
Based on 12,677 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioners
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Anesthesias | 8,883 | 70% |
| Anesthesiology | 5,708 | 45% |
| Nursing | 2,663 | 21% |
| Pre-Anesthetic Assessment | 2,337 | 18% |
| Surgery | 2,262 | 18% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioners
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 1,820 | 14% |
| Communication | 1,737 | 14% |
| Leadership | 938 | 7% |
| Customer Service | 653 | 5% |
| Writing | 630 | 5% |
Based on 12,677 job postings related to advanced practice nurse practitioners, anesthesias was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 70% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for anesthesiology, nursing, pre-anesthetic assessment, surgery and pediatrics were also highly sought.
As for common skills, management was the most desired skill found in job postings for advanced practice nurse practitioners, followed by communication, leadership, customer service, writing and research.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Anesthesias | 8,883 | 70% |
| Anesthesiology | 5,708 | 45% |
| Nursing | 2,663 | 21% |
| Pre-Anesthetic Assessment | 2,337 | 18% |
| Surgery | 2,262 | 18% |
| Pediatrics | 1,527 | 12% |
| Obstetrics And Gynaecology | 1,523 | 12% |
| Trauma Care | 1,397 | 11% |
| Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) | 1,246 | 10% |
| Airway Management | 1,242 | 10% |
| Operating Room (OR) | 1,239 | 10% |
| Orthopedics | 1,164 | 9% |
| Patient Safety | 1,125 | 9% |
| Urology | 1,111 | 9% |
| Pain Management | 1,010 | 8% |
| Surgical Procedures | 980 | 8% |
| Gynecology | 933 | 7% |
| General Surgery | 906 | 7% |
| Epidural Anesthesia | 867 | 7% |
| Endoscopy | 826 | 7% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 1,820 | 14% |
| Communication | 1,737 | 14% |
| Leadership | 938 | 7% |
| Customer Service | 653 | 5% |
| Writing | 630 | 5% |
| Research | 613 | 5% |
| Accountability | 571 | 5% |
| Teamwork | 491 | 4% |
| Computer Literacy | 466 | 4% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 459 | 4% |
| Scheduling | 424 | 3% |
| Teaching | 402 | 3% |
| Professionalism | 347 | 3% |
| Problem Solving | 343 | 3% |
| Adaptability | 332 | 3% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 330 | 3% |
| Listening Skills | 298 | 2% |
| Detail Oriented | 281 | 2% |
| Quality Assurance | 279 | 2% |
| Decision Making | 268 | 2% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioners
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists | 22,427 | 71.2% |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 2,061 | 6.5% |
| Locums Tenens | 1,174 | 3.7% |
| Anesthesiologists | 906 | 2.9% |
| Locum Tenens Anesthesiologists | 710 | 2.3% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2022 and August 2023, the top job sought by employers was certified registered nurse anesthetists, with 6,946 unique job postings. Nurse anesthetists were second, with 445 postings, followed by locums tenens, anesthesiologists and locum tenens anesthesiologists.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to advanced practice nurse practitioners.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists | 22,427 | 71.2% |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 2,061 | 6.5% |
| Locums Tenens | 1,174 | 3.7% |
| Anesthesiologists | 906 | 2.9% |
| Locum Tenens Anesthesiologists | 710 | 2.3% |
| Hospitalists | 546 | 1.7% |
| Travel Radiology Technicians | 292 | 0.9% |
| Anesthesia Assistants | 1,048 | 3.3% |
| Locum Tenens Anesthesia Physicians | 347 | 1.1% |
| Anesthetists | 361 | 1.1% |
| Anesthesia Technicians | 316 | 1% |
| Anesthesiology Residents | 408 | 1.3% |
| Endoscopy Registered Nurses | 105 | 0.3% |
| Anesthesia Physicians | 102 | 0.3% |
| Certified Nurse Anesthetists | 238 | 0.8% |
| Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioners | 95 | 0.3% |
| Clinical Instructors | 75 | 0.2% |
| Ambulatory Surgery Registered Nurses | 176 | 0.6% |
| Regional Medical Directors | 51 | 0.2% |
| Autonomous Vehicle Operators | 81 | 0.3% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for advanced practice nurse practitioners? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for advanced practice nurse practitioners.
How much do advanced practice nurse practitioners make?
Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioners: How do you become one?
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