What is an Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP)?

Advanced Nursing Practitioners (ANP) are nurses who have undertaken a master’s level in clinical practice. ANPs have authority in patient diagnosis and are trusted to independently assess, diagnose, manage and care for patients with complex clinical issues.

These types of nurses can work within emergency, primary and acute settings, and have a higher level of education and experience than most other nurses. In our guide, we will be discussing a career as an ANP, salary expectations and specialisms.

What can an ANP do?

The role of a ANP differs greatly in comparison to a general nurse, meaning you’ll be expected to perform more duties, as you are in a more senior position. Responsibilities of an Advanced Nurse Practitioner can include:

• Diagnosing health conditions
• Conducting check-ups
• Researching patient conditions
• Referring patients to specialists
• Maintaining records of patient medical history
• Prescribing and administering medication

How to become an Advanced Nurse Practitioner

The route to becoming an Advanced Nurse Practitioner is longer than other types of nursing, as it requires extensive education and training. The first step in becoming an ANP is to become a nurse and completing your bachelor’s degree – here, you will learn the foundations of nursing including biology, anatomy, psychology and chemistry.

The next steps are:

• Becoming a registered nurse: all nurses will join the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) in order to be able to practice nursing in the UK.
• Getting experience: once you are fully qualified and registered, you will then be able to work as a nurse within various settings. You may choose to pursue a specialism and gain the skills and expertise you need for the next steps.
• Embarking on a master’s programme: to qualify as a nurse practitioner, you are required to complete a master’s degree. These courses often take 1-2 years to complete and are essential for building up your knowledge.
• Getting your license and certification: in order to receive your license, you must complete your master’s degree, a two-year clinical experience placement and a national certification exam.

Once you complete the required qualifications, you can then decide the type of nurse practitioner you want to be.

What are the different types of ANP roles?

There are a diverse range of nurse practitioner roles you can pursue – a few examples are:

• Acute nurse practitioner: providing care to both acute and critical diseases, they are able to treat all-age ranges and are qualified to make life-altering decisions.
• Cardiac nurse practitioner: specialise in illnesses relating to the heart and cardiovascular system. They treat patients who are experiencing high cholesterol congestive heart failure and blood pressure. As a cardiac nurse practitioner, you could work in various settings including emergency rooms, hospitals or cardiology offices.
• Psychiatric nurse practitioner: work with mental health patients and are qualified to administer medications and psychotherapies. They work in association with other mental healthcare professionals.
• Paediatric nurse practitioner: these ANPs work with children and adolescents, providing preventive care and educating families on managing common health conditions.

These are just a few specialisms you can choose when becoming an Advanced Nurse Practitioner. You can also embark on other areas such as neonatal care, oncology, gerontology and much more.

Advanced Nurse Practitioner Salary

The national average salary for a nurse practitioner is approximately £34,000 per annum. However, this can depend on the setting you work in, how many hours you work and whether you work privately or for the NHS. Here at Thornbury Nursing Services, we pride ourselves on paying exceptional nursing agency pay rates. If you are a qualified ANP and are looking for roles with high pay rates and exclusive benefits, we highly recommend registering with us today! We have roles across England and Wales – contact our helpful team for more information.