Nurse Practitioner Programs in Ohio
Ohio nurse practitioners can opt for varied career paths, from carrying out advanced nursing duties at the state’s premier hospitals to providing primary care to underserved populations in clinic settings. The following are among the common work settings: physician practices and specialty groups, hospitals, ambulatory care settings (including retail clinics), and academic settings. Nurse practitioners manage health and treat illness. Among the things they can do: prescribe drugs and devices.
Nurse practitioners are found in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas of the state. Lima makes the national list of metropolitan areas that have the highest concentration of nurse practitioners. The greater Cleveland area also has a relatively high concentration – for sheer numbers of NPs employed, it has the rest of the state beat.
Nurse practitioner is a classification of Advanced Practice Nurse, or APRN: the most common one. A 2015 workforce document reported that the number of Ohio APRNs working as nurse practitioners was between two-and-a-half and three times that of the next largest category, nurse anesthetist. APRNs have similar levels of education across roles, but the curricular content is considerably different. APRNs, unlike medical doctors, have post-basic education that is focused specifically on their role; this is one of the reasons that they are able to carry out doctor-like roles with fewer years of graduate education.
A nurse practitioner’s scope is determined by the broad role and also by the specialty. Here certification agencies play a part. A nurse practitioner may have any of a number of third party certifications. These correspond with education; competency is further assessed by examination. Ohio code notes that, in order to be qualifying, a certification must be based on formal education. The Board of Nursing website includes a list of APRN certification agencies that offer qualifying certifications (http://www.nursing.ohio.gov/Practice-APRN.htm). Ohio recognizes the following categories: families and individuals across the lifespan, adult/gerontology (acute and primary), pediatric (acute and primary), neonatal, women’s health/gender related, and psychiatric/mental health. Educational programs can identify the certification examinations that their graduates can obtain.
A 2015 workforce report addressed APRN practice area (http://www.nursing.ohio.gov/Workforce.htm). With the exception of those APRNs who selected anesthesiology (who can be assumed to hold nurse anesthetist credentialing), the single largest were practicing in the related areas of family practice/ general practice/ primary care. A number of medical specialties were reported.
Nurse Practitioner Programs in Ohio
#1: Case Western Reserve offers a wide variety of nurse practitioner programs at the master’s levels. A nurse practitioner with education at this level can complete additional studies and obtain a post-master DNP. Case Western Reserve boasts status as the first school in the nation to offer a practice doctorate in nursing. The DNP program is currently ranked #5 in the nation by US News and World Report. Case Western Reserve highlights include clinical partnerships with premier healthcare organizations and a strong track record for research.
#2: Ohio State University offers a wide variety of tracks. Students in some tracks have two options: online and on-campus. Ohio State University has been recognized by the National League for Nursing (NLN) in the ‘Enhance Student Learning and Professional Development’ category.
#3: The University of Cincinnati provides MSN and DNP options. It represents yet another well-ranked, accredited option. Some programs are online. The University of Cincinnati proudly proclaims that its online master’s is #11 in the country.
#4: Kent State University is recognized by the NLN in the ‘Advance the Science of Nursing Education category. The women’s health track is 100% online; some tracks require some on-campus attendance.
Nurse Practitioner Education
The educational standard is a program at the master’s or doctoral level; the program must be one that prepares the nurse practitioner for national certification.
Nursing accreditation agencies ensure that nurse practitioner programs meet nationally recognized standards. Ohio boasts a number of programs accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Programs include a clinical component. The remainder of the program will, in some cases, be offered online. Some programs are able to accommodate clinical preceptorships in the student’s community even if the student lives quite a distance away.
A nurse practitioner education is post-basic, designed for students who have already met all requirements at the RN level. Many nurses make the decision to pursue advanced education after years in the field. However, this is by no means the only pathway. Professionals who have earned baccalaureate degrees in other fields may opt for a direct entry program whereby they complete professional nursing coursework at an accelerated pace, then continue seamlessly on for their nurse practitioner credentials.
(More Details: Nurse Practitioner requirements in Ohio)
APRN Scope of Practice
The role of nurse practitioners is expanding, and legislation in Ohio reflects this. Ohio is, in most ways, consistent with the APRN Consensus Model (a model which draws heavily from work done by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing). However, like slightly over half of U.S. states, Ohio places a higher level of regulatory control than what is recommended by national stakeholders. The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners has Ohio classified as a reduced practice state, despite recent scope of practice changes.
Nurse practitioner performance is subject to physician review. Ohio nurse practitioners enter into standard care arrangements with physicians or, in some cases, podiatrists. These specify, among other things, criteria for referral. Among the privileges that may be granted under standard care arrangements: supervision of home health services and hospital admission.
In many settings (for example, hospitals, nursing homes, and federally qualified health centers), Ohio nurse practitioners now have a good deal of latitude in prescribing even Schedule II drugs. (In some settings, though, these drugs can be prescribed under limited circumstances or not at all.)
Nurse Practitioner Salary in Ohio
Ohio nurse practitioners earned an average of $48.90 an hour in 2017. This comes to $101,710 when figured as 52 40-hour weeks.
It appears that many Ohio nurse practitioners work long hours. A 2015 survey found that the vast majority of the state’s APRNs had schedules that would be considered full-time or more than full-time. 37% worked 41 to 50 hours a week while 32% worked 36 to 40 hours. More than 10% reported over 50 hours. There were also a number of part-time APRNs, with 8% working 21 to 30 hours.
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