What Is a Hospitalist Nurse Practitioner?
A hospitalist nurse practitioner helps plan, supervise, and manage care for patients in hospitals. On a given day, they might visit several different units, track patient progress, and collaborate with other team members. Curious about this role? Learn more about the training and schooling requirements to become a hospitalist NP.
An NP is a type of advanced practice nurse (APRN) that focuses on care across the lifespan. There are many ways to work as a nurse practitioner. Hospitalist NPs manage patients in acute care and non-critical units, while other NPs might focus on psychiatry or primary care.
These are some of the units where a hospitalist NP might see patients:
What Is a Hospitalist NP and What Do They Do?
Nurse practitioners have an expanded scope of practice, allowing them to diagnose, prescribe, order tests, and manage care. Unlike specialists who focus on one body system, hospitalist NPs offer comprehensive care to acutely ill adults or children during their inpatient stay. Working in collaboration with physicians, nurses, and other care team members, these NPs help patients from admission to discharge.
What are some things that hospitalist NPs do on a daily basis? Common tasks include:
- Conducting physical exams and patient rounds.
- Ordering and interpreting lab tests, imaging, and diagnostic procedures.
- Developing and adjusting treatment plans.
- Prescribing medications and monitoring their effectiveness.
- Coordinating with specialists, case managers, and the interdisciplinary team.
- Communicating with patients and families about diagnoses, prognoses, and discharge planning.
- Responding to changes in patient status or urgent medical needs with the bedside nurse.
Key Strengths of a Hospitalist NP
What qualities might make you a good fit for this job? Here are some essential strengths for this role:
- Multitasking under pressure: NPs in this role manage patients with a broad range of problems and needs. You’ll need to be able to switch gears quickly and adjust to abrupt changes in patient status.
- Strong communication skills: This role requires liaising with patients, family members, case management, nurses, physicians, imaging staff, and many other professionals.
- Confidence in clinical judgment: You’ll need to make time-sensitive decisions based on your assessment, lab results, imaging, and patient reports.
- Adaptability: You may work within a hospitalist team, but you’ll likely travel throughout different hospital units during each shift, interacting with day- and night-shift staff. Being able to adapt to new clinical areas is key.
Benefits and Drawbacks of a Career as a Hospitalist NP
What are some elements of this job you may enjoy, and others you may not? Check out some potential pros and cons:
Pros:
- Structured shifts: Hospitalist NPs often work 12-hour shifts on block schedules (for example, 7 on/7 off), so you may have extended time off between blocks.
- Diverse clinical exposure: You’ll manage a wide range of acute conditions, which sharpens your diagnostic and treatment skills.
Cons:
- High patient volume: In any given shift, you may be responsible for managing dozens of patients, especially at night or on weekends. This can be stressful, especially for newer NPs.
- Physician oversight varies: The level of autonomy you have in this role may depend heavily on the facility’s structure and physician availability.
Hospitalist Nurse Practitioner Salary and Career Outlook
What income might you expect to make in this role? On average, hospitalist NPs earn an average of about:
- $138,340 per year in general medical and surgical hospitals
- $142,270 per year in specialty hospitals
- $144,860 per year in psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals
What you earn will depend on your level of experience, additional credentials, work setting, and more. Location plays an important role in what you earn as a nurse. Check out NP roles in the states with the highest average salaries for NPs:
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the demand for NPs will grow by a massive 46% in the next several years. And while it’s rarer to see NPs in hospital specialties — fewer than 3% of NPs are certified in acute care — an aging population, coupled with increasing care complexity, means that the demand for hospitalist NPs will likely rise.
How to Become a Hospitalist Nurse Practitioner: 5 Steps
What training does it take to work as a hospitalist nurse practitioner? Requirements for this role include RN schooling and licensure, as well as advanced practice education. At a minimum, completing these requirements takes six years. If you’re already an RN, NP schooling takes at least two to three years.
Step 1: Become an RN
Your first step is to complete nursing school and become a licensed RN. There are two educational paths to get there: an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). While both lead to RN licensure, NP programs typically require a BSN. However, RN-to-NP bridge programs are a great option for nurses with an ADN.
If you already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field, a direct-entry NP program may be an option. These accelerated programs combine RN and advanced practice coursework, helping you earn your license and NP credentials in one track.
Step 2: Gain Experience
NP programs commonly expect applicants to have at least one to two years of clinical nursing experience — ideally in acute care. This time helps you develop clinical judgment while managing acutely ill patients in a complex setting. Getting experience in busy units will give you a solid foundation for the demands of hospital-based NP roles. Find RN jobs to learn about opportunities in your area.
Step 3: Attend NP School and Become Board Certified
Are there specific hospitalist nurse practitioner programs? Most hospitalist NPs pursue either a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) with a focus in adult-gerontology acute care or family medicine.
After graduation, you’ll need to pass a national board exam that coincides with your degree to earn your NP certification:
- AGACNP-BC: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, certified by the ANCC
- ACNP-AG: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certification Adult-Gerontology, from the AACN
- FNP-C or FNP-BC: Family Nurse Practitioner, offered by the AANPCB or the ANCC
Step 4: Apply for Hospitalist NP Roles and Gain Experience
Once you’re certified, it’s time to jump into your first NP job. Consider an NP fellowship in hospital medicine to support your transition to practice. If you thrive under pressure and enjoy acute care, this career could be a great choice.
Hospitalist Nurse Practitioner FAQ
Hospitalist NP vs. primary care NP: What’s the difference?
Hospitalist NPs manage patients who are too sick to be at home. Primary care NPs work in outpatient clinics and focus on preventive care and long-term health management, so the patients they see are typically not acutely ill.
What conditions do hospitalist NPs see?
The scope of problems you might see in this role is broad. Here are a few common issues for hospitalized patients:
- Cardiovascular conditions
- Infections
- Lung problems
- Kidney and urinary conditions
- Endocrine problems
- Digestive issues
Find Hospitalist Nurse Practitioner Roles and More
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