Nurse Practitioners

The work environment depends on the nurse practitioner's specialty. Some work in remote, rural settings in small, local health care clinics. Others work in modern hospitals or nursing homes. Some nurse practitioners may work with patients who are fearful of any type of health care provider or who may have never been to a clinic before. Some patients may resent being seen by "just a nurse" instead of the doctor. Others may work with medical staff who are uncooperative and who feel threatened by the role of the nurse practitioner. All of these situations require tact, patience, and maturity.

Nurse practitioners must often work long and inconvenient hours, especially if they are involved in rural health care.