What Do Primary Care Nurse Practitioners Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for primary care nurse practitioners?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what primary care 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.
Primary Care Nurse Practitioners Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about primary care nurse practitioners by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Primary Care Nurse Practitioners diagnose and treat acute, episodic, or chronic illness, independently or as part of a healthcare team. May focus on health promotion and disease prevention. May order, perform, or interpret diagnostic tests such as lab work and x rays. May prescribe medication. Must be registered nurses who have specialized graduate education.
Popular Job Titles For Primary Care Nurse Practitioners
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Nurse Practitioners
- Nurse Practitioners/Physician Assistants
- Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners
- Family Nurse Practitioners
- Nurse Practitioners/Advanced Practice Registered Nurses
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners
- Primary Care Nurse Practitioners
- Urgent Care Nurse Practitioners
- Advanced Practice Providers
- Urgent Care Nurse Practitioners/Physician Assistants
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioners
- Family Medicine Nurse Practitioners
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for primary care nurse practitioners can be found.
Best Industries for Primary Care Nurse Practitioners
Primary Care Nurse Practitioners Jobs By Industry
- Offices of Physicians: 48.2%
- General Medical and Surgical Hospitals: 17.9%
- Outpatient Care Centers: 9%
- Offices of Other Health Practitioners: 4.1%
- Education and Hospitals (State Government): 3.3%
- Education and Hospitals (Local Government): 3.2%
- Other: 14.3%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of primary care nurse practitioners can be found working in the Offices of Physicians sector. In 2023, about 48.2% of all jobs for primary care nurse practitioners were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (17.9%), Outpatient Care Centers (9%), Offices of Other Health Practitioners (4.1%), Education and Hospitals (State Government) (3.3%) and Education and Hospitals (Local Government) (3.2%).
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Primary Care 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
- Class Type: Online coursework
- Years To Complete: 3
- Accreditation: CCNE
Keep up – and lead – advances in family practice healthcare by further professionalizing your skills with Franklin’s DNP-FNP program.
- Class Type: Online coursework
- Years To Complete: 3
- Accreditation: CCNE
- Class Type: Online coursework
- Years To Complete: 3
- Accreditation: CCNE
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 Primary Care Nurse Practitioners Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what primary care 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 primary care 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 primary care nurse practitioners tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for primary care 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 Primary Care Nurse Practitioners
Based on 195,979 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Primary Care Nurse Practitioners
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | 59,015 | 30% |
| Primary Care | 50,909 | 26% |
| Medical Records | 33,491 | 17% |
| Patient Education And Counseling | 27,994 | 14% |
| Treatment Planning | 25,434 | 13% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Primary Care Nurse Practitioners
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 39,972 | 20% |
| Communication | 38,997 | 20% |
| Leadership | 17,574 | 9% |
| Writing | 15,880 | 8% |
| Computer Literacy | 14,492 | 7% |
Based on 195,979 job postings related to primary care nurse practitioners, nursing was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 30% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for primary care, medical records, patient education and counseling, treatment planning and geriatrics were also highly sought.
As for common skills, management was the most desired skill found in job postings for primary care nurse practitioners, followed by communication, leadership, writing, computer literacy and research.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | 59,015 | 30% |
| Primary Care | 50,909 | 26% |
| Medical Records | 33,491 | 17% |
| Patient Education And Counseling | 27,994 | 14% |
| Treatment Planning | 25,434 | 13% |
| Geriatrics | 23,484 | 12% |
| Urgent Care | 22,801 | 12% |
| Medical History Documentation | 22,689 | 12% |
| Electronic Medical Record | 21,451 | 11% |
| Family Medicine | 20,307 | 10% |
| Chronic Diseases | 19,642 | 10% |
| Clinical Experience | 18,665 | 10% |
| Psychiatry | 17,026 | 9% |
| Acute Care | 16,708 | 9% |
| Internal Medicine | 16,354 | 8% |
| Patient Treatment | 16,265 | 8% |
| Mental Health | 14,006 | 7% |
| Medication Administration | 14,004 | 7% |
| Pediatrics | 13,741 | 7% |
| Home Health Care | 13,717 | 7% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 39,972 | 20% |
| Communication | 38,997 | 20% |
| Leadership | 17,574 | 9% |
| Writing | 15,880 | 8% |
| Computer Literacy | 14,492 | 7% |
| Research | 13,699 | 7% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 12,973 | 7% |
| Operations | 11,929 | 6% |
| Planning | 10,953 | 6% |
| Customer Service | 10,950 | 6% |
| Coordinating | 10,483 | 5% |
| Scheduling | 9,665 | 5% |
| Problem Solving | 9,383 | 5% |
| Decision Making | 9,315 | 5% |
| Teaching | 9,136 | 5% |
| Accountability | 8,917 | 5% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 8,144 | 4% |
| Critical Thinking | 7,835 | 4% |
| Time Management | 7,509 | 4% |
| Spanish Language | 7,466 | 4% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Primary Care Nurse Practitioners
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioners | 140,282 | 36.2% |
| Nurse Practitioners/Physician Assistants | 73,208 | 18.9% |
| Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners | 28,637 | 7.4% |
| Family Nurse Practitioners | 32,040 | 8.3% |
| Nurse Practitioners/Advanced Practice Registered Nurses | 18,423 | 4.8% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2022 and August 2023, the top job sought by employers was nurse practitioners, with 46,263 unique job postings. Nurse practitioners/physician assistants were second, with 10,517 postings, followed by psychiatric nurse practitioners, family nurse practitioners and nurse practitioners/advanced practice registered nurses.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to primary care nurse practitioners.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioners | 140,282 | 36.2% |
| Nurse Practitioners/Physician Assistants | 73,208 | 18.9% |
| Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners | 28,637 | 7.4% |
| Family Nurse Practitioners | 32,040 | 8.3% |
| Nurse Practitioners/Advanced Practice Registered Nurses | 18,423 | 4.8% |
| Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners | 13,486 | 3.5% |
| Primary Care Nurse Practitioners | 9,179 | 2.4% |
| Urgent Care Nurse Practitioners | 8,965 | 2.3% |
| Advanced Practice Providers | 8,331 | 2.1% |
| Urgent Care Nurse Practitioners/Physician Assistants | 8,151 | 2.1% |
| Neonatal Nurse Practitioners | 6,139 | 1.6% |
| Family Medicine Nurse Practitioners | 5,911 | 1.5% |
| Travel Nurse Practitioners | 5,540 | 1.4% |
| Family Medicine Nurse Practitioners/Physician Assistants | 4,670 | 1.2% |
| Palliative Care Nurse Practitioners | 4,884 | 1.3% |
| Physicians/Family Practitioners | 4,316 | 1.1% |
| Primary Care Nurse Practitioners/Physician Assistants | 3,599 | 0.9% |
| Nurse Practitioners/Hospitalists | 3,449 | 0.9% |
| Instructors/Physician Assistants/Nurse Practitioners | 4,156 | 1.1% |
| Family Practice Nurse Practitioners | 4,235 | 1.1% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for primary care nurse practitioners? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for primary care nurse practitioners.
How much do primary care nurse practitioners make?
Primary Care Nurse Practitioners: How do you become one?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.