As a registered nurse, you hold a very important job. The COVID-19 pandemic has shed light on just how important health care workers are and the need for qualified trained staff. With shortages being reported in multiple states across the country, there is also no shortage of opportunities in the industry for you. But what happens if you are no longer satisfied in your job and you want to climb the career ladder? If you still want to remain in the healthcare industry but need a new challenge, the good news is that there are plenty to be had.

Here we’ll take a look at what kind of careers you can pursue with a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), highlighting the many paths it can open up for you.

What Is a DNP?

The Doctor of Nursing Practice is meant for those who want to lead in their chosen field. It’s ideal for those who want a more senior-level position with greater challenges and responsibilities. The program will help students to tap into and perfect their strategic thinking skills, learn about all the emerging technologies and research, figure out how they can have an impact on patient outcomes, and gain a high level of specific expertise.

The courses are quite extensive, covering a wide range of topics such as biostatistics, leadership in advanced nursing practice, epidemiology and ethical principles. You can check out schools like Wilkes University.

Clinical Nurse Researcher

Some people, prefer to work more on the research side of things. If that sounds like you, then your DNP can help you to become a clinical nurse researcher. Everything in this job relates to practice and theory. A typical day will involve conducting in-depth studies and tests, working in a lab environment, developing and administering new treatments and so forth.

Nurse Practitioner

Nurse practitioners have been growing in popularity and demand across the country, as these are nurses who have a postgraduate degree, allowing them to work in a more specialized environment. As a nurse practitioner, you’ll be able to assess patients, diagnose them, read diagnostic tests, create a treatment plan, prescribe medication, and work with others involved in the patient’s care. As a nurse practitioner, you can choose to specialize and get certification in a particular field. The fields you can pick from are:

• Pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs)
• Adult-Gerontology
• Psychiatric-Mental Health
• Family nurse practitioners (FNP)
• Women’s Health

Nurse Manager

Do you want to work more in a leadership role where you have a direct impact on patient care? If so, the job of nurse manager could be perfect. In this job, you’ll be evaluating not just the staff but also the various programs, facilities, and procedures in place at that particular health care institution. The goal is always to improve patient care, and as a nurse manager, you can do that by positively leading your staff.

Health Care Lobbyist

Here’s an interesting career that can appeal to those with an interest and passion, not just in healthcare but also in politics. Health care lobbyists work in a variety of different settings and organizations to represent their organizations to the legislators. You can see how this job would allow you to affect real change in the industry, as you may be able to bring some very powerful changes into effect.

Nurse Educator

Another way to climb the career ladder in the health care industry is to work as a nurse educator. With such a huge demand for nurses in the country right now, and the fact so many are retiring there is a real drain on resources. Nurse educators are needed to train the next generation of health care professionals, so you’ll be playing a vital role.

As a nurse educator, you may work in a practical or academic setting, providing you with variety and the chance to choose your environment. The more education you hold yourself, the more advanced the content will be that you can teach to students. This will also mean an increase in your salary.

Many Paths to Pursue

When you decide to pursue your DNP, you are essentially opening the doors to a wide array of career paths. They are each unique and appeal to different passions, talents and skills that you may have. It’s a great way to level up in your career all while remaining an important force in the health care industry. Likely the toughest part will be making that choice of what path to follow.