Healthcare professionals arein very high demand—more than ever before.As such, it could be the ideal time to takeyour nursing career to the next level with an advanced degree. That would give you the opportunity to increase salary potential, broaden your career prospects, and, based on your preference, choose a work setting and hours.

Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP)

Online AGPCNP programs prepare you to sit for the board certification examination through the ANCC (American Nurses Credentialing Center). To be an Adult-Gerontology Primary Nurse Practitioner, you will need to be an APRN (Advanced Practice Registered Nurse) managing the healthcare needs for the older age group, from adolescents onwards. As an AGPCNP,you will conduct tests, prescribe medication, and create full treatment plans for patients. AGPCNPs are also trained to care for critically ill patients as well as those who are physiologically unstable and highly vulnerable to complications.

Here are the key reasons why theAGPCNPcareer path would be ideal for you:

  1. Working opportunity with adolescents and older adults

Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitionerstreat older adults, starting with patients from as young as age 13. This career path will see you working with patients of all ages with complex healthcare needs. You could either choose to work as anadult-gerontology primary care practitioner or acute care nurse practitioner.

  1. There will be an increased healthcare demand for the baby boom generation

The “baby boom” generation in the U.S— referring to those born after the Second World Warto 1964— has a population of about 73 million people. According to research, people aged 65 years and above require healthcare visits twice as often as the young; the demand for adult-gerontology nurse practitionersto work with elderly populations is, therefore, bound to grow.

  1. You can work in several healthcare settings

A degree in gerontology qualifies you to work in a range of healthcare environments. As an AGPCNP, you can practice in primary family practice/care clinics, rehabilitation centers, long-term care facilities, assisted living facilities, and palliative care centers. With an advanced gerontology degreein acute care, you can serve in cardiac care units, intensive care units, trauma, and specialized acute care clinics among others.

  1. You’ll become a patients’advocate

As patients age, it becomes harder for them to understand the jargon used by health professionals. As such, they struggle a lot in managing their healthcare needs, which makes it difficult to navigate when it comes to routine care and health insurance. As an AGNP, you can empowerpatients and their families by providing the support they need to become independent.

With a variety of fields in which to practice, nurses are generally active contributors in all aspects of the healthcare industry. If you are already a registered nurse looking for exposure to new challenges or career opportunities, pursuing an adult gerontology primary care nurse practitioner career path will engage, fulfill, and reward you.