According to a recent story in the New York Times, “the American Academy of Family Physicians projects a shortfall of 40,000 physician generalists — family practitioners, pediatricians, general internists and geriatricians — by 2020, even without significant changes to the current health care system.”

This shortfall, experts predict, will increase the importance of the nurse practitioner — because nurse practitioners will be needed to do even more of the tasks now performed by physicians.

The nurse practitioner is a registered nurse who has received specialized education (usually, a master’s degree) in a selected field.  These positions offer the chance for work in health education, counseling and customized care.  Nurse practitioners’ duties vary by state depending on regulation; but generally, they include diagnosing and treating illnesses, ordering tests, prescribing drugs and making referrals to specialists.

Nurse practitioners typically work in primary care, whereas physician assistants generally work for specialists.  But either way, these specialized areas of the nursing profession are going to be in high demand. (And, even more so, considering the projected shortfall of all types of nurses will be 260,000 in the next 15 years.)

Therefore, it makes sense to get as much additional training and education as possible to increase your potential worth as a registered nurse.  See our recent blog with suggestions on what advanced nursing certifications and credentials to pursue.

And, the good news is, there may be money coming from Uncle Sam for some of this education. Says the Times:

“The health care bills moving through Congress contain provisions that would increase funding for nurse training programs, including one aimed specifically at raising the number of advanced practice nurses, which include nurse practitioners.”

Registered nurses, if you are thinking about advanced specialized training or you are currently enrolled, please share with us your comments or recommendations!

“Hospitals are looking for candidates with the most up-to-date and advanced certifications,” notes Deborah Bacurin, RN, clinical resource manager at American Traveler.

By pursuing advanced nursing training by earning additional credentials and certifications, you are proving yourself as a motivated individual who cares about keeping on top of the latest trends and education – and therefore, a top candidate for American Traveler’s travel nursing jobs.

This goes double for new grads and nursing students, who are finding that it is somewhat difficult to find the ideal job right out of school with basic nursing skills. Get as many certifications and credentials as you can, as soon as possible, advises Bacurin.

Also, do not expect the employer to reimburse you for this nursing job training (although it never hurts to ask!); view these credentials as prerequisites for top RN jobs.  The more certifications the better – and the more advanced, the better.

Here are Bacurin’s suggestions for certifications in their specialty that RNs should pursue:

• ED: PALS, NRP, ENPC, TNCC, CATN, CEN
• Critical Care: PALS, NRP, TNCC, CCRN
• Tele: PALS, TNCC
• Peds: NRP, PALS, ACLS
• M/S: ACLS, PALS, TNCC

For those looking to change nursing-job specialties or increase your skills:

• M/S to Tele, ED or ICU: Go for the trauma certifications (TNCC, CATN); plus  advanced-life support certs such as ACLS or PALS
• L&D or M/B: Go for AWHHON, NRP or S.T.A.B.L.E.

For more information on these and other licenses and education programs, see our Nursing Professional Resources page; also, you can always discuss your options with your American Traveler consultant.

Meanwhile, share your nursing-training experiences with fellow travelers. What certifications and credentials have you found to be most valuable in advancing your travel nursing career?

If you’re wondering why the cards are history, here’s the reason: At a September ’09 meeting, it was decided that the hard cards failed to serve their intended purpose of keeping status and licensure information up to date. Some employers were accepting the card alone as proof of current licensure/certification status, without confirming on the Board’s verification system.  Since the accuracy of the information on hard cards is only guaranteed to be valid on the day the card is issued, a suspension, revocation or other imposed discipline may not show up—hence the Board’s recommendation that all employers of nurses/CNAs verify statuses online at the Nursing Board’s website, where we travel nurses can print proof of licensure and carry it with us—not necessary, but recommended if it makes you feel more comfortable.

In other licensure related news, 2,000 miles from Nevada, the Governor of Florida, Charlie Crist has just signed an executive order allowing licensed nurses from other states to work in Florida for the next three months. The order comes on the heels of the earthquake that devastated Haiti on January 12, 2010, and helps ensure that more nurses will be on hand to aid those victims and survivors being airlifted to Florida for medical care. If you are interested in using your invaluable training as a nurse to help Haiti’s earthquake victims, Broward Health proves that American Traveler’s Florida nursing jobs in Miami and Broward County are a great place to start.

Isn’t it great to know, you don’t have to be a card carrying nurse to make a difference?