NPs, CRNAs, and PAs - Best Jobs According to US News and World Report!

Best Healthcare jobs belong to NPs & PAs!

If you are currently looking for NP, PA, and APRN opportunities, click on the links below to apply for openings with healthcare leaders.

• Remote Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
• Nurse Practitioner job in New York
• Telemedicine Physician Assistant job
• Nurse Anesthetist, CRNA job
• High-Paying CRNA job in Findlay, OH

According to the US News and World Report, Physician Assistants (PAs) and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) rank number 1 and 3 for Best Jobs, respectively, and 1 and 2 for Best Healthcare Jobs.  NPs, including Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAS), and PAs, are collectively referred to as Advanced Practice Providers (APPs). and They provide care for patients in clinics and in hospitals, including intensive care units and operating rooms. APPs are valued members of healthcare teams and provide high-quality, value-based care. APPs receive excellent salaries, can work in a variety of settings and locations, have autonomy and utilize critical decision-making in their roles, and make an impact on the health of patients and the healthcare system daily.  

APPs Have the Best Jobs- Salary!

The average APP salary is $114,000, with a wide range of $90,000- $250,000. Salaries vary by specialty, experience, and certifications, as well as by location. . Schedules for APPs are also flexible and may vary by role, such as standard 9-5 Monday through Friday hours for outpatient positions,  variable day and night shifts for hospital shifts, and/or part-time or short term block opportunities. APPs salaries reflect their level of education, contributing to why APPs are the Best Jobs according to US News and World Report. All APPs have a master's or doctorate degrees, but there are many different avenues to becoming a provider. NPs and CRNAs typically have a Registered Nurse background, but some direct-entry programs allow you to receive a BSN and MSN in the same program. PAs come from a variety of backgrounds that generally include some prior patient-facing experience. Some PAs were nurses in research or in the military, technicians in surgery or emergency, and/or EMTs, but others come from other, unique areas of the workforce.

APPs Can Work Domestically and Internationally!

APPs have opportunities to work all over the United States, and even internationally! There are a variety of employers such as the military, veterans association, travel employers, hospitals, clinics, and corporations.   Where there is a need for medical care, there will be jobs within10.5 miles of almost any location in the US. NPs and CRNA certifications may impact the setting in which they can work (i.e. acute versus primary care)  However, PAs do not have the same restrictions. The only limiting factor for PAs is whether they have the required experience for a given role, or if the employer is prepared to train them for a specific specialty.  

NPs, CRNAs, and PAs Have the Best Jobs with Autonomy and Decision Making

APPs have the Best Healthcare Jobs according to US News and World Report because they have a high level of autonomy and decision making. APPs see patients independently, can have their own patient panel, and/or care for patients collaboratively with physicians and other care team members.  Because of their education and training APPs can:

• Provide primary and specialty care services, and health maintenance for individuals of all ages
• Diagnose, treat, evaluate and manage intensive, acute, and chronic illnesses and diseases
• Perform health histories and provide complete physical examinations
• Order, perform and interpret diagnostic studies
• Prescribe medications and other therapies
• Counsel and educate patients on health behaviors, self-care skills, and treatment options
• Refer patients to other health professionals as needed

APPs provide direct patient care, lead organizations, provide continuity of care through their decision-making and responsibilities, and shape healthcare policy, education, and many other areas of healthcare throughout the world.

APPs have the Best Healthcare Jobs Because They Can Make an Impact!

Another key to why APPs have the Best Healthcare jobs NPs & PAs is because they have an impact. The primary impact APPs have is on patient care and recovery from acute illnesses.  They provide continuity of care within hospitals, provide access to care for patients, increase surgical capabilities, and help hospitals open more beds to care for more patients. Through the addition of APPs within clinics and hospitals, care teams are more efficient, patients receive better care, and have a higher level of satisfaction. They can impact underserved populations both domestically and internationally. APPs also have the additional ability to provide patient and staff education, get involved in research or quality improvement projects, become academic faculty and a mentor for the younger generation, and even become leaders of other APPs on the executive level of healthcare organizations.  

Working as an NP, CRNA, or PA can be challenging, but it is rewarding and satisfying work.  APPs work hard every day, going the extra mile for their patients, which at times means sacrificing time for themselves or with friends and family -- especially during the last 2 years during the pandemic. However,  they do it because they know they are an important and growing part of our healthcare system and solutions.  APP career growth is projected at 30-40% over the next 10 years, especially as part of the solution to a physician shortage.

This article was originally published on Melnic. It was recently acquired by DirectShifts. Click here to sign up on DirectShifts.