ABSTRACT
Background: The number of nurse practitioners (NPs) in dermatology has increased substantially over the past few years.
Objective: To examine the credentials and practice experiences of dermatology nurse practitioners and their corresponding job satisfaction.
Methods: 300 anonymous surveys were sent to nurse practitioner members of the Dermatology Nurses Association (DNA).
Results: Of the 300 surveys sent, 65% were returned. Most nurse practitioners were certified in family or adult practice. Overall, NPs were highly experienced with an average of 21 years as a registered nurse, 9.3 years as a NP and 5.6 years as a NP in dermatology. The majority of respondents (70%) reported seeing both established and new patients, almost all (98%) have prescription writing privileges and most (77%) are indirectly supervised by an on-site MD. Respondents overall were highly satisfied with their choice of career, although a minority (33%) did not feel accepted by other medical professionals as a peer in the dermatology field.
Limitations: Data was self reported and surveys were only given to members of the Dermatology Nurses Association.
Conclusion: Dermatology nurse practitioners are highly experienced advanced practice clinicians and highly satisfied with their choice of career in dermatology. In recent years, advanced training programs have been established to provide further standardized training to those entering the dermatology profession.