What Does an Adult Nurse Practitioner Do?

Adult nurse practitioners care for patients across decades of adult life, often as primary care providers. They assess, diagnose, and treat both illness and injury. Some work in their own offices or clinics; others practice in physicians' offices or hospitals.

"Adult nurse practitioners can see anyone but infants and children," says Joyce Karl, DNP, RN, APRN-CNP, director of the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner specialty program at Ohio State University. They treat patients for overall wellness and for conditions like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and sports injuries. Some focus on particular age groups, such as college students or older adults.

Demand is high. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects nurse practitioner employment will grow about 46% from 2023 to 2033. The role requires an advanced degree: at least a master's, though doctoral degrees are common.

Education Requirements

An adult nurse practitioner is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), so the first step is becoming a licensed RN. You can do that with either an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Once licensed, you pursue a graduate degree.

A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is the minimum for the role, though a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is worth considering. The field continues to shift toward the DNP as the standard entry point for nurse practitioners.

Licenses and Certifications

After completing your education, follow your state's APRN licensure rules. This generally means paying a fee, submitting proof of education, and passing a national certification exam in your specialty. Adult nurse practitioners earn the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (A-GNP) certification from the American Association of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB). You will need an MSN or DNP, or be within six months of graduating from either.

Other requirements include an RN license in good standing, a transcript proving your education, 500 supervised clinical practice hours, and graduate-level courses in advanced physical assessment, advanced pharmacology, and advanced pathophysiology. Some states require a separate prescriptive authority license to prescribe medication.

What Adult Nurse Practitioners Do

Adult NPs generally act as primary care providers, delivering care similar to a physician's:

• Assessing patients and administering physical exams
• Diagnosing health conditions and injuries
• Ordering tests such as X-rays and bloodwork
• Providing treatments and prescribing medications
• Creating care plans and recording medical histories
• Keeping detailed care notes
• Educating patients about their conditions, medications, and treatments

"Adult nurse practitioners provide integrated, accessible care to people from diverse cultural, social, and economic backgrounds," says Karl. "They perform physical examinations, order and interpret tests, prescribe medications and treatments, and provide education and counseling."

Where You Will Work

Adult NPs work in hospitals, physicians' offices, private offices, health practices, and community health clinics. "You can find jobs in various businesses, in prisons or universities, or for health plans," says Karl. "You can also provide telehealth, work in nurse-run clinics, or even your own independent clinics."

Salary

The BLS does not track adult nurse practitioners specifically, but it reports a median annual wage of $132,050 (May 2024) for the category that includes nurse practitioners. Earnings vary by location, experience, and setting. Because primary care providers can practice independently in some states, adult NPs often open their own clinics, which puts them in control of their schedule, earnings, and growth.

Job Outlook

Growth is driven by demand for nurse practitioners in primary care amid an ongoing nursing shortage, expected to continue through at least 2031 as nurses retire and the baby boomer generation ages. Physicians are also retiring in large numbers. Adult NPs are positioned to fill both nursing leadership roles and the primary care roles left open by retiring physicians.

Professional Resources

Stay current through professional organizations and publications. The American Association of Nurse Practitioners offers continuing education, career resources, and more. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners publishes the latest academic articles and research in the field.