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Starting Your Nurse Practitioner (NP) Career

Fulfill Your Potential as You Embark on Your New Role as a Trusted Health Care Provider

As you take the first step in your NP career, you may have questions about what to expect. Whether you need help finding a job, negotiating your salary or starting your own business, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP) has the resources you need to lay a solid foundation for the future of your practice and the NP role.


Transitioning to NP Practice Videos

Developed by the AANP Fellows and special guests, these short videos cover everything you need to know as you near graduation and transition to clinical practice. Explore all the topics for expert advice!

Watch the Videos

Entering the NP Workforce

NPs provide high-quality care in diverse settings, including clinics, hospitals, emergency rooms, urgent care sites, private physician or NP practices, nursing homes, schools, colleges and public health departments. Explore your options:

  • Job Search

    Search from hundreds of job postings, find resume help and prepare for interviews at the AANP JobCenter. You can sign up for job alerts of new jobs posted that match your search preferences.

    Visit the AANP JobCenter

  • Contract Negotiations

    Learn how to negotiate the terms of your employment. For example, if you are salaried, certain benefits should be negotiated in addition to your salary, such as vacation, sick leave, continuing education (CE) allowance and leave, malpractice insurance and health insurance.

    Find Negotiation Tips

  • Salary Reports

    AANP conducts a Workforce Survey every year to identify NP employment characteristics, compensation and patient demographics. AANP members can download the reports for free while nonmembers may purchase the reports.

    View AANP Research Reports

  • Malpractice Insurance

    Learn the basics of malpractice insurance, including the difference between claims-made and occurrence malpractice insurance, in this free, downloadable infographic. This includes resources for additional information, including a free, recorded webinar and Practice Information by State from AANP.

    Download Infographic

  • State Practice Information

    You need to know all the details about NP practice in your state — from signature authority to the number of CE hours required for licensure and beyond. With your AANP membership, you can access quick reference guides on your state to inform yourself and your patients.

    Learn About NP Practice in Your State

  • Continuing Education (CE)

    With your membership comes access to the AANP CE Center, which offers a comprehensive library of CE activities for NPs of all specialties and experience levels. Exclusive discounts — and many free activities — are yours as an AANP member to help you complete state licensure requirements and earn the credits needed for recertification.

    Visit the AANP CE Center

Getting Involved

As an NP, your thoughts, ideas and experiences are valuable to researchers, health policy experts and others within the health care community. See how to connect:

  • AANP Membership

    Being a part of AANP is more than just a membership — it’s a real opportunity to make a measurable difference in the strength of your profession and the health of this country.

    Review All AANP Membership Types

  • AANP Network for Research (AANPNR)

    The AANPNR is an online community for AANP members interested sharing research-related ideas and resources with other NPs.

    Join the AANPNR

  • NPInfluence

    Students who are also practicing NPs can join NPInfluence to receive email invitations for online surveys and earn rewards for completing those surveys.

    Sign Up for NPInfluence

  • AANP Communities

    AANP Communities are communities within AANP organized around therapeutic areas and professional interests. All AANP members are encouraged to join one or more AANP Community to deepen your knowledge, expand your network and help progress the development of theory and practice in key areas of health care.

    See all AANP Communities

  • Volunteer Opportunities

    AANP and the NP profession need you! Please consider filling out a short profile to be considered for leadership, advocacy, research and other volunteer opportunities.

    Complete the Volunteer Opportunities Form

  • Upcoming Events

    Each year AANP hosts conferences, webinars, region meetings and other events that provide students with an opportunity to learn from and network with NPs who practice in a variety of primary and specialty care areas. Interested students can apply to present their research at conference, and they can attend AANP-accredited CE sessions.

    Explore Upcoming Events