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Rosanna Morales

English 475

Professor Nazar

19 April 2018

Alleviating the Pain of Others

INTRODUCTION

“The things you are passionate about are not random, they are your calling.” -Fabienne

Frederickson. Growing up I spent a lot of time in the hospital because my mom is a registered

nurse. I eagerly looked forward to take your daughter to work days or occasionally I stayed home

sick from school and got to spend the day at the hospital. I would pass the time filing charts,

playing with plastic models of female anatomy such as a uterus or a fetus at different growth

stages, and exploring the premises where warranted. I loved everything about being there and

always felt like I belonged there. I imagined I would grow up and become a nurse too, but my

life took a different path that led me to being a hairstylist for over 18

years. During those years I had three hospital stays and several trips to

the doctor and always had a sense of missing out on what I really

wanted to be. Recently the desire to be a Nurse resurfaced and now I am entertaining the idea of

becoming a Nurse Practitioner(NP). I hope that once I have completed my research on this career

I will have a conclusive opinion on whether or not this is the right choice for me.

WHAT I KNOW, ASSUME, OR IMAGINE

There are many things I know, assume, and hope to learn about being a NP. I know that a

NP requires a Master’s Degree. I also know that NP typically work in a medical office and earn

salary of up to $180,000 per year in CA. Nurse Practitioners, as far as I know, are able to

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diagnose illness and prescribe medications, however outside of

California they do not need to work under a Doctor’s supervision. I

assume I’ll be able to leave California while maintaining my

license, but I think there may be continuing education required. I

assume further knowledge of Microsoft other technologies will be needed. By doing this research

I hope to discover a few things about a NP career such as: the day to day dealings of a NP,

opportunities made available, how to deal with the pressure or stress related to the job, and if I

have what it takes to be successful. Some questions I have about being a Nurse Practitioner are

first: How to effectively separate emotions at work versus home life? Will I be able to relocate?

What exactly is required physically and mentally? Overall, I hope to confirm my belief that

becoming a Nurse Practitioner is the correct career choice for me.

THE SEARCH

The first source I researched about this career was an article titled “Nurse Practitioner”

found in the California Job Journal within the Vocational Studies Complete section of the

Chaffey College Database. Located in this journal are articles called career snapshots that give a

concise summary of any given career. In this particular career snapshot article, under the job

duties heading, I found that Nurse Practitioners have several areas of focus and therefore various

duties according to their expertise. The common theme amongst all NP is they all have the duties

of a Registered Nurse as well as the following responsibilities: injury and illness diagnosis,

patient education regarding health and wellness, documenting and analyzing medical history,

ordering and reading test results, as well as prescribing medication (“Nurse Practitioner” 9). My

initial reaction to this information is that it feels like an overwhelming amount of responsibility,

but after digesting it, I think it is pretty exciting. The idea of being able to alleviate pain or

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impart knowledge and understanding of a condition, and answer questions patients have is

appealing to me. I have concerns about feeling confident in my ability to gain the appropriate

knowledge and skill in performing these duties because of my personal struggle with self-doubt,

but another part of the article mentioned the option to work independently or with a physician, so

that restores confidence, kind of like a safety net. Continuing my search

within the article, I discovered some details about the NP work

environment. Nurse Practitioners subject themselves to many illnesses,

hazardous materials, and infectious diseases. It also states that there are

strict preventative measures taken and rules to be followed for their safety

(“Nurse Practitioner” 9). This information is unsettling because of the danger, however there is

comfort in knowing that there are clear instructions in order to reduce the chance of contracting

any illness or disease. I feel that this would be an area I already have strength in due to my

experience interacting with the public in my current career as a hairstylist. As a stylist, I have

been exposed to illnesses, lice, skin conditions and allergic reactions to products, but because of

training received and obedience to the regulations set forth, I have managed to avoid any harm to

myself or my clients. Therefore, leading me to believe setting that precedent as a stylist will

serve me well as a Nurse Practitioner. Although the article “Nurse Practitioner” had useful

information regarding the work environment and duties for this job, I need to explore these

findings in greater detail.

The second source I explored for information on becoming a NP was the Occupational

Outlook Handbook (OOH) website. The OOH is a site managed by the Labor and Statistics

Department of the United States. I located an education guide for becoming a Nurse Practitioner

under the How to Become One tab. I learned that a RN license is required first and although a

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bachelor degree is favored it is not always necessary to be entered into the advanced practice

programs. Upon completion of the program students will

obtain a master or doctorate degree as a Nurse Practitioner

depending on their choice (“How to Become One”). I was

unsurprised by the need for a RN license, however I was

surprised there is no specific duration before progressing. I feel that gaining work experience as a

RN before pursuing a NP certification would be beneficial for a comprehensive understanding of

the medical field. The information regarding education also raised curiosity about the locations

of the programs offered that don’t require a bachelor degree to enter. Because of my age and

yearning to reach the goal, the idea of less school entices me. The next portion of knowledge I

gained from the OOH was under the job outlook tab for Nurse Practitioners. The NP career is

expected to have an increase of just over 30 percent in the next ten years, considerably quicker

than most other areas of employment. The reasons given for this increase are due to the expertise

of NP’s to render similar care as a doctor. As the public acknowledges the proficiency of a NP to

administer defensive measures against disease, more states are giving NPs access to care for the

maturing society, particularly those born between 1946-1965 (“Job Outlook”). This news is

gratifying because while considering this career I have wondered if all this school, time away

from my family and money spent is really worth it just to have more stress and responsibility

than I currently have. However, with a population that seems to be living longer paired with

breakthroughs in medical research happening all the time resulting in a constant need for medical

professionals, I am content with the schooling called for. Besides the brain is a terrible thing to

waste and I want to see what mine is capable of. All in all, the OOH turned up some valuable

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insights for the job outlook and education mandated when seeking a career as a Nurse

Practitioner.

The third source I gained knowledge from on becoming a Nurse Practitioner was the

website called O*Net. O*Net is a site run by the U.S. Department of Labor/ Employment and

Training Administration where data has been collected and categorized by determining factors

pertaining to each occupation. Within the O*Net website there is a very useful tool to find local

salary under the wages and employment tab for Nurse Practitioners. The tool revealed the

average income for Nurse Practitioners in California is about $120,000 peaking at roughly

$183,000. In comparison with Idaho, I found that NPs earn between $24,000 and $50,000 less

than California (“Wages and Employment Trends”). The wage information is beneficial because

of its relevancy in my life. Although I live in California now, my family does not plan on

staying, therefore a device that displays nationwide pay is extremely helpful. Also, it brings me a

sense of security to know that Nurse Practitioners are rewarded well for their work. Because of

the significant age gap between my spouse and I, it will be up to me to provide for us after his

retirement and to aid our growing children financially as needed.

Furthermore, information given under the interest tab on the

O*Net site listed the importance of six interest categories. In order

from most to least applicable for this career are the following:

Social, Investigative, Realistic, Artistic, Conventional, and

Enterprising (“Interests”). Understanding the meaning of the different points of interest helps me

visualize why this career appeals to me. I recently had the opportunity to do attend a workshop

where I took a test that measures each of these qualities. Based on my answers to the given

questions, my results showed that I am Social, Investigative, and Artistic. For example,

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instructing others, deep thought processes, and often using molds, diagrams, or templates are

characteristics of these three components. This information grants confidence in making this a

career choice because of the importance of tailoring my career choice to the form I already fit.

Researching Nurse Practitioners on the O*Net website proved to be a favorable resource with the

local wages function as well as the interests tied to this career choice.

Finally, I was able to have a face to face interview with Lori Dominick, a Nurse

Practitioner, for an in-depth look at this career. Dominick has been a Nurse practitioner for 5

years and a Registered Nurse for 37 years, she works in a private practice,

Care for Women’s Medical Group located in Upland, CA. Dominick also

works as an adjunct clinical professor at Azusa Pacific University School of

Nursing. One thing I asked Dominick was how to handle failures in the

workplace. She responded in an honest voice saying “The most important

thing is when you work in a supportive environment… if you feel unsure of yourself, making

sure you can ask questions and have mentors that will guide you.” Knowing that there will

definitely be difficult situations is a given, but the capacity to deal with them effectively is my

concern. It satisfies me to learn that asking questions is acceptable if I am not certain of

something, as long as I find a practice that I can connect with, much like finding a salon to work

in as a hairstylist. During the interview I also asked Dominick what kind of flexibility she has as

a Nurse Practitioner in a private practice versus being on call in a hospital setting. She responded

with a sureness, “I still have to be accountable to our office manager and sometimes patients are

scheduled three months in advance and planning vacations is hard, but the nice thing is at the end

of the day I go home and its pretty wrapped up, when you’re done, you’re done!” I found

Dominick’s advice to be very helpful in knowing which path to pursue once school is finished. It

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seems to me like I can essentially create as little or as much freedom I want based on what

environment I choose to work in. I like the idea of the day being done at the end of office hours

but I can envision myself in a hospital setting initially for the experience and fluctuating shifts. I

also like how I have the opportunity to adjust my schedule according to my needs or areas of

focus. Overall, the informative interview with Dominick provided valuable insights regarding

emotional support and flexibility in the career of a Nurse Practitioner.

WHAT I DISCOVERED

After conducting an interview and researching several sources I am confident in making

an educated decision regarding my intent to be a Nurse Practitioner. Overall, I was pleased to

find that most of my beliefs about Nurse Practitioners were accurate. I was surprised to find out

that Nurse Practitioners are not required to do a certification at the end of school in every state,

but it seems impertinent to create freedom in areas of focus and lifestyle. Conducting an in-

person interview was an enjoyable experience that resulted in deeper motivation for aspiring a

greater education. After completing my research, I discovered that becoming a Nurse Practitioner

is the career for me. Throughout my life there have been happy accidents like how I became a

hairstylist, but at this point I want to live my life on purpose by sharing my passion for caring

with those in need.

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Works Cited

Dominick, Lori. Personal interview. 28 Mar. 2018.

“Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners.” Occupational Outlook

Handbook, 30 Jan. 2018. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nurse-anesthetists-nurse-

midwives-and-nurse-practitioners.htm. Accessed 24 Mar. 2018.

"Nurse Practitioner." California Job Journal, vol. 26, no. 1146, 03 Aug. 2008, p. 9.

Vocational Studies Complete, chaffey.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://

ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=v1h&AN=33543672&site=ehost-live.

"Nurse Practitioners." O*Net, 13 Mar. 2018. <https://www.onetonline.org/link/details/29-

1171.00. Accessed 24 Mar. 2018.