Nurse Practitioners
Overview
Snapshot
Summary
Nurse Practitioners provide advanced and extended nursing care to patients, such as ordering diagnostic tests, undertaking diagnosis and health assessments, prescribing patient care management, medicines and therapies, as authorised in relevant nursing legislation, and referring to specialist Medical Practitioners and other Health Professionals in a range of health, welfare and community settings.
Tasks
-
Assesses, plans, implements and evaluates nursing care for patients according to accepted nursing practice and standards.
-
Works in consultation with other health professionals and members of health teams, and co-ordinating the care of patients.
-
Provides interventions, treatments and therapies such as medications, and monitors responses to treatment and care plans.
-
Promotes health and assists in preventing ill health by participating in health education and other health promotion activities.
-
Answers questions and providing information to patients and families about treatment and care.
-
Supervises and co-ordinating the work of enrolled nurses and other health care workers.
Characteristics
- 254411 Nurse Practitioners
- 254412 Registered Nurses (Aged Care)
- 254413 Registered Nurses (Child and Family Health)
- 254414 Registered Nurses (Community Health)
- 254415 Registered Nurses (Critical Care and Emergency)
- 254416 Registered Nurses (Developmental Disability)
- 254417 Registered Nurses (Disability and Rehabilitation)
- 254418 Registered Nurses (Medical)
- 254421 Registered Nurses (Medical Practice)
- 254422 Registered Nurses (Mental Health)
- 254423 Registered Nurses (Perioperative)
- 254424 Registered Nurses (Surgical)
- 254425 Registered Nurses (Paediatrics)
- 254499 Registered Nurses (not covered elsewhere)
-
University
-
Practical
-
Analytical
-
Helping
-
Medium
-
Heavy
Outlook
JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. Employment projections data are only produced for occupations at the broad four digit Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) level. While data are not available for this occupation, projections data are available for the parent occupation, Registered Nurses, under the outlook section.
Earnings and hours
Working arrangements
-
Around 63% of people employed as Nurse Practitioners work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is similar to the all jobs average (66%).
Full-time workers work an average of 43 hours per week in their main job. This is similar to the all jobs average (44 hours per week).
Sources:Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average.
Industries
Main industries
-
Most Nurse Practitioners work in the Health care and social assistance industry.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.
Regions
Employment across Australia
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Employment by State and Territory (% Share)
State | Nurse Practitioners | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
NSW | 28.2 | 31.6 |
VIC | 26.8 | 25.6 |
QLD | 22.4 | 20.0 |
SA | 8.4 | 7.0 |
WA | 9.5 | 10.8 |
TAS | 1.7 | 2.0 |
NT | 0.6 | 1.0 |
ACT | 2.4 | 1.9 |
-
Around 60% of Nurse Practitioners live in capital cities, similar to the all jobs average of 62%.
The region with the largest share of workers is Gold Coast.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Worker profile
Age and gender
-
The median age of Nurse Practitioners is 48 years. This is higher than the all jobs average of 40 years.
A large share of workers are aged 45 to 54 years.
Females make up 84% of the workforce. This is 36 percentage points above the all jobs average of 48%.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.
Age Profile (% Share)
Age Bracket | Nurse Practitioners | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
15-19 | 0.0 | 5.0 |
20-24 | 3.1 | 9.3 |
25-34 | 12.8 | 22.9 |
35-44 | 23.5 | 22.0 |
45-54 | 34.5 | 21.6 |
55-59 | 15.5 | 9.0 |
60-64 | 7.8 | 6.0 |
65 and Over | 2.9 | 4.2 |
Median Age | 48 | 40 |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Employment Pathways
Education, training and experience
A masters degree in nursing and three years experience at the clinical advanced nursing practice level is usually needed to work as a Nurse Practitioner.
Registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia is required.
Visit
- Course Seeker to search and compare higher education courses.
- ComparED to compare undergraduate and postgraduate student experiences and outcomes.
Highest Level of Education (% Share)
Type of Qualification | Nurse Practitioners | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate | 58.7 | 10.1 |
Bachelor degree | 25.3 | 21.8 |
Advanced Diploma/Diploma | 8.1 | 11.6 |
Certificate III/IV | 2.4 | 21.1 |
Year 12 | 4.8 | 18.1 |
Year 11 | 0.2 | 4.8 |
Year 10 and below | 0.6 | 12.5 |
Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Skills and Knowledge
Employers look for Registered Nurses who are caring, empathetic, reliable, with strong communication and interpersonal skills.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
-
68%
Reading comprehensionReading work related information.
-
64%
Active listeningListening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
-
64%
Social perceptivenessUnderstanding why people react the way they do.
-
63%
Critical thinkingThinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
-
61%
ScienceUsing scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
-
59%
Active learningBeing able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
-
59%
Judgment and decision makingFiguring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
-
59%
MonitoringKeeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
-
59%
InstructingTeaching people how to do something.
-
57%
Complex problem solvingNoticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
-
57%
Serving othersLooking for ways to help people.
-
57%
SpeakingTalking to others.
-
57%
WritingWriting things for co-workers or customers.
-
54%
Time managementManaging your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
-
52%
Coordination with othersBeing adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
-
52%
Learning strategiesFiguring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
-
52%
PersuasionTalking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
-
46%
Systems evaluationMeasuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
-
46%
Systems analysisFiguring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.
-
45%
NegotiationBringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
-
86%
PsychologyHuman behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
-
82%
Therapy and counsellingDiagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and career counselling and guidance.
-
80%
Medicine and dentistryDiagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities, including preventive health-care measures.
-
79%
Customer and personal serviceUnderstanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
-
71%
BiologyPlant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, how they rely on and work with each other and the environment.
-
70%
English languageEnglish language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
-
67%
Sociology and anthropologyGroup behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
-
65%
Education and trainingCurriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
-
59%
MathematicsArithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
-
56%
Philosophy and theologyPhilosophical systems and religions, including their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and impact on society.
-
53%
Computers and electronicsCircuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
-
51%
ClericalWord processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
-
50%
ChemistryChemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.
-
47%
Communications and mediaMedia production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
-
46%
Administration and managementBusiness principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
-
45%
Personnel and human resourcesRecruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
-
45%
Public safety and securityUse of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
-
43%
Law and governmentHow our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
-
33%
PhysicsThe physical laws of matter, motion and energy, and how they interact through space and time.
-
22%
TelecommunicationsTransmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities..
-
73%
Problem spottingNotice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
-
71%
Oral comprehensionListen to and understand what people say.
-
70%
Inductive reasoningUse lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
-
66%
Written comprehensionRead and understand written information.
-
63%
Oral expressionCommunicate by speaking.
-
61%
Deductive reasoningUse general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
-
61%
Written expressionWrite in a way that people can understand.
-
57%
Near visionSee details that are up-close (within a few feet).
-
57%
Sorting or orderingOrder or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
-
57%
Speech claritySpeak clearly so others can understand you.
-
57%
Speech recognitionIdentify and understand the speech of another person.
-
55%
CategorisingCome up with different ways of grouping things.
-
50%
BrainstormingCome up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
-
50%
Flexibility of closureSee a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
-
48%
Arm-hand steadinessKeep your hand or arm steady.
-
48%
Finger dexterityPut together small parts with your fingers.
-
45%
Perceptual speedUse your eyes to quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
-
45%
Speed of recognitionQuickly make sense of and organize things you can see like letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
-
43%
MathematicsChoose the right maths method or formula to solve a problem.
-
43%
MemorizationRemember things like words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
-
91%
Helping and caring for othersProviding personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.
-
86%
Keeping your knowledge up-to-dateKeeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
-
81%
Looking for changes over timeComparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
-
80%
Researching and investigatingLooking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
-
79%
Building good relationshipsBuilding good working relationships and keeping them over time.
-
78%
Monitoring people, processes and thingsChecking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.
-
78%
Making decisions and solving problemsUsing information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
-
77%
Documenting or recording informationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
-
77%
Planning and prioritising workDeciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
-
70%
Working with the publicGreeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.
-
70%
Communicating within a teamGiving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
70%
Coaching and developing othersWorking out the needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or helping them to improve.
-
70%
Making sense of information and ideasLooking at, working with, and understanding data or information.
-
67%
Training and teaching othersUnderstanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.
-
66%
Explaining things to peopleHelping people to understand and use information.
-
64%
Collecting and organising informationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.
-
63%
Leading and encouraging a teamEncouraging and building trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
-
61%
Checking compliance with standardsDeciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
-
61%
Communicating with the publicGiving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
56%
Working with computersUsing computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Interests and demands
Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
-
90%
HelpingWorking with people. Helping or providing service to others.
-
86%
AnalyticalIdeas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
-
62%
PracticalPractical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
-
38%
AdministrativeFollowing set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
-
38%
CreativeWorking with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
-
33%
EnterprisingStarting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
Values
-
95%
RelationshipsServe and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
-
81%
AchievementResults oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
-
81%
IndependenceWork alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.
-
81%
SupportSupportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.
-
79%
Working conditionsJob security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.
-
71%
RecognitionAdvancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.
Demands
-
97%
TelephoneTalk on the telephone.
-
97%
Electronic mailUse electronic mail.
-
95%
Face-to-face discussionsTalk with people face-to-face.
-
94%
Being exact or accurateBe very exact or highly accurate.
-
92%
Consequence of errorWork where mistakes have serious consequences.
-
92%
Freedom to make decisionsHave freedom to make decision on your own.
-
91%
Indoors, heat controlledWork indoors with access to heating or cooling.
-
90%
TeamworkWork with people in a group or team.
-
90%
Disease or infectionBe exposed to disease or infections.
-
89%
Frequent decision makingFrequently make decisions that impact other people.
-
88%
Contact with peopleHave contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
88%
Physically close to peopleWork physically close to other people.
-
87%
Unstructured workHave freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
-
83%
Impact of decisionsMake decisions that have a large impact on other people.
-
79%
Lead or coordinate a teamLead others to do work activities.
-
79%
Letters and memosWrite letters and memos.
-
78%
Time pressureWork to strict deadlines.
-
77%
Health and safety of othersTake responsibility for the health and safety of others.
-
77%
Wear common protective or safety equipmentWear equipment like safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets.
-
74%
Angry or unpleasant peopleDeal with unpleasant, angry, or rude people.
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 29-1171.00 - Nurse Practitioners.
Links and downloads
Research and reports
The Skills Priority List provides a current labour market rating and a future demand rating for nearly 800 occupations nationally. Current labour market ratings are available for occupations at a state and territory level.
Downloads
-
Occupation profiles data are available for download.
The Employment Projections are available for download.