My Journey to Becoming An Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

I could have been a physician. I could have been a physician’s assistant. But I chose to become an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner. 

There were many reasons for this decision honestly, some conventional and some not so much, but now that I am experiencing the role first-hand, it is evident that it was the right choice for me. With that being said, I want to emphasize that it was the right choice for me, which means it might not be the right choice for you, and that is 100% okay!

At the end of 2013, I was recovering from a divorce and was working vigorously to find myself again. I attributed much of my newfound strength to my profession and the culture of bedside nursing. My career as an ICU nurse taught me how to advocate for patients, and consequently, it forced me to learn to be an advocate for myself as well. It was that internal drive that helped me initiate my separation and healing from my past relationship. If I hadn’t gone back to school to become a Registered Nurse, I don’t think I would have ever become who I was meant to be.

 This led me to want to give back to nursing in any way that I could to repay the profession for what it did for me. I needed to regain my sense of self and my independence again and give myself something to work toward, so becoming a Nurse Practitioner seemed like the most logical next step. To clarify, I did not hate bedside nursing at all; in fact, I loved it and I miss it almost every day. However, as much as I loved it, I never learned how to avoid burning out as a bedside nurse until my final two years of grad school, and I was worried I wouldn’t be able to physically and emotionally sustain the career before I applied.

So I picked up and moved across the country for grad school. Beginning with the move, the entire four-year process evoked growth and maturity. There was a lot of trial and error, certainty and uncertainty, and overwhelming exhaustion. I was working three different jobs at one point and getting my DNP. The times I wanted to quit were countless. But every time I asked myself if I would be content with quitting, the answer was no, so I pushed forward.

The more I grew personally, the more I yearned for independence and leadership. I felt empowered to represent my profession, hence the blog. The confidence and self-awareness I was gaining through school and life made me realize that I could be successful in taking on a new role with added responsibilities. I felt I could work independently, prescribe, be trusted to manage ICU patients, and perform procedures because internally I was more secure and ready than ever.

It wasn’t evident to me initially how I would need to work to define my role as a Nurse Practitioner, but that is part of the job. When I was a bedside nurse, I knew my role; I knew my place. As a Nurse Practitioner, life experience, communication, and as much as I hate to say it, likability, mixed with clinical knowledge and the drive to work, become imperative aspects of the job. I feel as if I am under more scrutiny than I was a bedside nurse, but it works for me because I have the tools to accept the challenge and perform. I feel I have the responsibility to show the healthcare industry how incredible and competent Nurse Practitioners are, and I have the responsibility to actively help define the role.

Now that I’m here, in my dream NP job, I look back on the journey and realize it was mostly a trek of personal growth. Yes, I went through all of the vigorous school. Yes, I completed my doctoral project. Yes, I studied for weeks to pass my Nurse Practitioner board certification exam. Yes, I worked myself to illness. But, without the personal growth, I’m not sure it would be worth as much to me; I’m not sure I would be as grateful as I am. And without those things, I am certain I wouldn’t have as much potential to eventually be a great practitioner. So here’s to that.

Maybe if I would have been a different person at 18 or 25, I would have been a physician, or an actress, a photographer, horse trainer, or artist, but I chose to be a Nurse Practitioner. I have the opportunity to manage patients independently with the foundation of my nursing background. I am able to lead and empower, and the possibilities for advancement are endless.

If you are in school to become a Nurse Practitioner or are in need of a high quality board review question bank, please check out BoardVitals for their question review banks and use the code NurseAbnormalities for 20% off your purchase. BoardVitals was one of the tools I used to pass my Acute Care NP board certification exam.