When you earn a DNP degree, you are qualified to pursue a career as an advance practice registered nurse (APRN), a popular career path among DNP graduates. This career path is best suited for those who want to continue working in a clinical setting. Within the APRN career path, there are a variety of specialties that you can pursue, including:
An adult-gerontology nurse practitioner can work in either a primary or acute care setting providing care to adult and geriatric patients. A professional working in this DNP specialty should be ready to work with both male and female adult patients, being able to correctly diagnose and treat medical conditions. These nurse practitioners also work in a variety of healthcare settings, including emergency settings, specialty clinics and long-term care facilities.
APRNs can also specialize in pediatrics, providing care to children in either a primary or acute care setting. This includes caring for needs of patients from birth to young adulthood, ensuring that the needs of each patient are handled with the highest-quality care possible. These professionals also work in a variety of settings, such as within a clinical setting or a hospital.
If you don’t feel strongly called to a specific population, consider the role of a family nurse practitioner. These nurse practitioners provide care to men, women and children of all ages, focusing mostly on preventive care, health education and treatment of common illnesses. They typically work within a clinical setting or family practice, often alongside other medical professionals.
A nurse practitioner working as a certified nurse midwife provides care to women in the stages of reproduction, including preconception, prenatal, childbirth and postpartum care. This DNP specialization has a very specific population, helping new and expectant mothers through the journey of reproduction and ensuring their physical and mental well-being through it all.
While working in anesthetics, a DNP graduate will provide any anesthesia-related care to a wide variety of patients, ensuring that these patients are well cared for before, during and after any procedure that requires the use of anesthesia. Nurse anesthetists can work in both high-risk situations and in less stressful situations delivering anesthesia to patients. In either case, they must work toward providing the best and safest patient outcomes.
