Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- Foreword -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- Share Fast Facts for the New Nurse Practitioner: What You Really Need to Know in a Nutshell, Second Edition -- Part I: Making the Decision -- Chapter 1: Why Become a Nurse Practitioner? -- The Role of the Nurse Practitioner -- Reasons to Become a Nurse Practitioner -- The First Step -- Chapter 2: How to Begin -- Nursing Practitioner Specialties -- What is Right for You? -- Part II: Selecting an Educational Program -- Chapter 3: Types of Programs -- Which Type of Program is Right for You? -- Steps for Success -- Evaluating a Program -- Selecting the Right Program for You -- Chapter 4: Scholarships, Resources, and More -- How Much Will It All Cost? -- How to Pay for It All -- What to Apply for -- Part III: Finding the Right Clinical Preceptor -- Chapter 5: Important Things to Consider -- How, What, and Where -- Variation-The Way to Go -- What to Look Out for -- Getting Started -- Test Yourself -- Chapter 6: Balancing It All -- What Will You Do During the Clinical Experience? -- Tips for Time Management -- Immersion -- Who Will Guide You? -- Part IV: Searching for a Mentor -- Chapter 7: What to Look For -- What a Mentor Will Do for You -- Quality, but Also Quantity -- The Benefits -- Chapter 8: You as a Mentor -- Me-A Mentor? -- Why Should I be a Mentor? -- Part V: Attaining Your Certification and Licensure -- Chapter 9: Who? What? Where? -- Types of Nurse Practitioner Certifications Available -- Criteria for Eligibility and Registration -- Chapter 10: Passing -- How to Pass-The First Time -- Review Courses -- Developing a Study Plan -- Test Yourself -- Chapter 11: What Comes Next? -- The Types of Licenses a Nurse Practitioner Will Need -- The Process of Licensure -- Maintaining and Protecting Your Nurse Practitioner License.

Part VI: Surviving and Thriving: Your First Year in Practice -- Chapter 12: First Job -- How to Become Employed as a Nurse Practitioner -- Potential Pitfalls -- Chapter 13: Role Transition -- Defining the NP Role -- How Will You Begin to Define Your New Role? -- Your Own Unique Identity and Philosophy -- Become an Effective Delegator-Again! -- Be Creative -- Chapter 14: Friends and Enemies -- Finding Friends and Avoiding Enemies -- Example: Dr. Smith -- Part VII: Administrative Issues -- Chapter 15: Bureaucracy -- Avoiding Bureaucratic Traps -- Avoiding Role Conflicts -- Independent Practice -- Chapter 16: Discrimination -- Workplace Discrimination and the Nurse Practitioner -- Avoiding or Eliminating Workplace Discrimination -- Chapter 17: Institutional Violence -- Protecting Yourself -- Nurse Practitioner Leadership -- Situations of Increased Risk -- Part VIII: Understanding Legal Issues -- Chapter 18: Contracts -- The Details -- Salary and Other Benefits -- Hours on the Job -- What Else? -- Chapter 19: Malpractice -- Personal Protection Liability Insurance -- How to Choose? -- Chapter 20: Avoiding Lawsuits -- Helping Others and Protecting Patients from Harm -- Work Behaviors to Live by -- Document, Document, Document -- Chapter 21: Dos and the Don'ts: Electronic Health Records -- Electronic Health Records and Success for Nurse Practitioners -- Issues in EHR Implementation -- Part IX: Collaboration -- Chapter 22: The Collaborative Agreement -- Why Collaborate? -- Essential Components of Collaboration -- Chapter 23: Selecting a Collaborating Physician -- What to Look for -- An Important Decision -- Chapter 24: Collaborative Practice: Harmonious or Burdensome? -- What is Collaboration? -- Is Collaboration Necessary? -- Test Yourself -- Part X: You're in Charge -- Chapter 25: Prescriptive Authority -- My Reality -- So, are You Ready? -- Resources.

Chapter 26: Diagnostics -- The Importance of a Diagnostic Test -- Chapter 27: Referrals -- Why Nurse Practitioners Need to Refer -- Guidelines for Referral -- Chapter 28: Marketing the Role to Nurses, Employers, and the Public -- Marketing the Role . . . Why, How, and to Whom -- Part XI: Economics, Policy, and Future Practice -- Chapter 29: Surviving Health Care Reform Today and Tomorrow -- The Debate over Health Care Reform -- New and Evolving Models of Care -- Implications for Nurse Practitioners -- Chapter 30: The Terminal Degree in Nursing: PhD, EdD, or DNP -- What are the Various Terminal Degrees in Nursing? -- Why Pursue a Terminal Degree in Nursing? -- References -- Index.