¶ … nursing is changing. Recent healthcare legislation is projected to increase the need for nurses at an exceedingly high rate. Improvements in technology and equipment are providing newer forms of treatment; the role of nurses is expanding to include more diagnostic and rehabilitative work, particularly in light of current demands on physicians. The day in which nurse practitioners can provide patients with holistic treatment augmented by the most innovative technological advancements and discoveries is soon approaching, making this profession one of the most valued throughout the healthcare industry. As a student who has recently completed the first year of a three-year program to earn a Master's of Science in Nursing as a family nurse practitioner, I fully expect to play an important role in the elevation of patient care at a time in which our country needs it most. My interest in this profession spans well beyond...

For many years I worked in the healthcare industry as a pharmaceutical sales consultant whose job it was to deliver the most efficacious medication that would directly relate to the needs of patients of particular practitioners. This experience allowed me to repeatedly witness the need for timely medication and treatment for patients with an assortment of afflictions; I utilized both non-biased clinical studies as well as proprietorial products to best achieve these results.
However, the most difficult part of my position was the lack of direct interaction with the patients themselves. Due to stringent FDA and pharmaceutical guidelines, I could only communicate with healthcare professionals -- not their patients. Yet it was very obvious that nurse practitioners played an integral role in easing the burden of…