Nurse Practitioners Go Back to List 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.

Technology used in this occupation:
	Medical software

Tasks
	Educate patients about self-management of acute or chronic illnesses, tailoring instructions to patients' individual circumstances.
	Schedule follow-up visits to monitor patients or evaluate health or illness care.
	Counsel patients about drug regimens and possible side effects or interactions with other substances such as food supplements, over-the-counter (OTC) medications, or herbal remedies.
	Order, perform, or interpret the results of diagnostic tests, such as complete blood counts (CBCs), electrocardiograms (EKGs), and radiographs (x-rays).
	Analyze and interpret patients' histories, symptoms, physical findings, or diagnostic information to develop appropriate diagnoses.
	Diagnose or treat acute health care problems such as illnesses, infections, or injuries.
	Diagnose or treat chronic health care problems such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
	Diagnose or treat complex, unstable, comorbid, episodic, or emergency conditions in collaboration with other health care providers as necessary.
	Treat or refer patients for primary care conditions, such as headaches, hypertension, urinary tract infections, upper respiratory infections, and dermatological conditions.
	Consult with or refer patients to appropriate specialists when conditions exceed the scope of practice or expertise.

Skills
	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
	Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
	Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
	Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
	Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
	Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
	Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
	Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Knowledge
	Medicine and Dentistry - Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
	Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
	Therapy and Counseling - Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
	English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
	Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
	Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
	Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
	Sociology and Anthropology - Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
	Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
	Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

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Education & Training   Education:   Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).   Related Experience:   Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

View Related Programs on Connecticut's Education & Training ConneCTion site.

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Wage Information
	Region Average Entry Level  Mid-Range  Annual  Hourly  Statewide $141,118.00 $67.85  $52.74  $59.53 - $76.53  Bridgeport/Stamford $145,269.00 $69.84  $51.21  $59.65 - $80.41  Danbury $145,496.00 $69.95  $56.53  $62.94 - $77.86  Hartford $141,478.00 $68.01  $53.73  $58.88 - $75.32  New Haven $139,325.00 $66.98  $53.39  $59.54 - $73.12  New London/Norwich $138,779.00 $66.72  $51.58  $59.27 - $74.99  Waterbury $142,282.00 $68.41  $56.13  $63.56 - $76.30  Torrington $138,861.00 $66.76  $51.55  $61.45 - $76.64

Occupation Outlook ( 2016 - 2026 ) Average Annual Job Openings:   312   Employment in this occupation is expected to grow more slowly than average, and the number of annual openings will offer limited job opportunities.

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	Some of the occupational information on this page is formulated from O*NETTM v17.0 data. O*NETTM is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.