Top Skills for This Career
BLS identifies these as the three highest-rated skills for this detailed occupation. TrustInEd adds the plain-language explanations so visitors understand what each skill means.
Adjusting effectively when priorities, conditions, tools, or expectations change.
Working effectively with people by building relationships, understanding others, and responding appropriately.
Paying close attention to accuracy, quality, instructions, and small but important details.
How Do You Prepare for This Career?
BLS describes the typical preparation for this occupation. Requirements can vary by employer, state, licensing rules and individual circumstances.
How to Become One
How to Become a Nurse Anesthetist, Nurse Midwife, or Nurse Practitioner APRNs must earn a master’s degree which typically includes clinical experience. Nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners, also referred to as advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), must have at least a master’s degree in their specialty role. APRNs also must be licensed registered nurses in their state, pass a national certification exam, and have a state APRN license.
Education
Nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners typically need at least a master's degree in an advanced practice nursing field. Accredited healthcare and related programs in these specialties typically include classroom education and clinical experience. Courses in subjects such as advanced health assessment, pathophysiology, and pharmacology are common as well as coursework specific to the chosen APRN role. An APRN must have a registered nursing (RN) license before pursuing education in one of the advanced practice roles, and a strong background in science is helpful. Most APRN programs prefer candidates who have a bachelor’s degree in nursing. However, some schools offer bridge programs for registered nurses with an associate’s degree or diploma in nursing. Graduate-level programs are also available for individuals who did not obtain a bachelor’s degree in nursing but in a related health science field. These programs prepare the student for the RN licensure exam in addition to offering the APRN curriculum. Although a master’s degree is the most common form of entry-level education, APRNs may choose to earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) or a Ph.D. The specific educational requirements and qualifications for each of the roles are available on professional organizations’ websites. Prospective nurse anesthetists must have 1 year of experience working as registered nurse in a critical care setting as a prerequisite for admission to an accredited nurse anesthetist program.
Licenses, Certifications & Registrations
States’ requirements for APRNs vary. In general, APRNs must have a registered nursing license, complete an accredited graduate-level program, pass a national certification exam, and have an APRN license. Details are available from each state’s board of nursing. Information on state licensing board requirements is available from CareerOneStop. To become licensed and use an APRN title, most states require national certification. In addition, APRN positions may require cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), basic life support (BLS), or advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) certification. Information on certifications is available from CareerOneStop.
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Pay
the median annual wage for all workers was $50,980.
Job Outlook
Job Outlook Overall employment of nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners is projected to grow 36 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations. About 32,200 openings for nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. Employment Employment growth is projected to occur because of an increase in the demand for healthcare services. Several factors will likely contribute to this demand; the most important contributors include the aging population and growing prevalence of chronic disease. Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) perform many of the same services as physicians. APRNs will increasingly be used in team-based models of care, particularly in hospitals, offices of physicians, clinics, and other ambulatory care settings, where they will likely be needed to provide preventive, primary, and acute care. APRNs are expected to also be needed to care for the large older adult population. As people age, they tend to experience ailments and complex conditions that require medical care. APRNs will be needed to keep these patients healthy and to treat the growing number of patients with chronic and acute conditions. As states change their laws governing APRN practice authority, APRNs are being allowed to perform more services. Moreover, APRNs also are being recognized more widely by the public as a source for primary healthcare. Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners Percent change in employment, projected 2025–35 Nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners 36% Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners 9% Total, all occupations 3% Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
What They Do
What Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners Do
Nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners, also referred to as advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), coordinate patient care and may provide primary and specialty healthcare. The scope of practice varies from state to state.
Duties
Advanced practice registered nurses typically do the following:
- Take and record patients' medical histories and symptoms
- Perform physical exams and observe patients
- Create patient care plans or contribute to existing plans
- Perform and order diagnostic tests
- Operate and monitor medical equipment
- Diagnose various health problems
- Analyze test results or changes in a patient’s condition and alter treatment plans, as needed
- Give patients medicines and treatments
- Evaluate a patient’s response to medicines and treatments
- Consult with doctors and other healthcare professionals, as needed
- Counsel and teach patients and their families how to stay healthy or manage their illnesses or injuries
- Conduct research
APRNs work independently or in collaboration with physicians. In most states, they can prescribe medications, order medical tests, and diagnose health problems. APRNs may provide primary and preventive care and may specialize in care for certain groups of people, such as children, pregnant women, or patients with mental health disorders.
APRNs have some of the same duties as registered nurses, including gathering information about a patient’s condition and taking action to treat or manage the patient’s health. However, APRNs are trained to do other tasks, including ordering and evaluating test results, referring patients to specialists, and diagnosing and treating ailments. APRNs focus on patient-centered care, which means understanding a patient’s concerns and lifestyle before choosing a course of action.
Some APRNs also conduct research or teach staff about new policies or procedures. Others may provide consultation services based on a specific field of knowledge, such as oncology, which is the study of cancer.
The following are types of APRNs:
Nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) administer anesthesia and provide care before, during, and after surgical, therapeutic, diagnostic, and obstetrical procedures. They also provide pain management and some emergency services. Before a procedure begins, nurse anesthetists discuss with a patient any medications the patient is taking as well as any allergies or illnesses the patient may have, so that anesthesia can be safely administered. Nurse anesthetists then give a patient general anesthesia to put the patient to sleep so they feel no pain during surgery or administer a regional or local anesthesia to numb an area of the body. During the procedure, they monitor the patient’s vital signs and adjust the anesthesia as necessary.
Nurse midwives (CNMs) provide care to women, including gynecological exams, family planning services, and prenatal care. They deliver babies, manage emergency situations during labor, repair lacerations, and may provide surgical assistance to physicians during cesarean births. Nurse midwives may act as primary maternity care providers for women. They also provide wellness care, educating their patients on how to lead healthy lives by discussing topics such as nutrition and disease prevention. Nurse midwives also provide care to their patients’ partners for sexual or reproductive health issues.
Nurse practitioners (NPs) serve as primary and specialty care providers, delivering advanced nursing services to patients and their families. They assess patients, determine how to improve or manage a patient’s health, and discuss ways to integrate health promotion strategies into a patient’s life. Nurse practitioners typically care for a certain population of people. For instance, NPs may work in adult and geriatric health, pediatric health, or psychiatric and mental health.
Although the scope of their duties varies by state, many nurse practitioners work independently, prescribe medications, and order laboratory tests. Nurse practitioners consult with physicians and other health professionals when needed.
See the profile on registered nurses for more information about clinical nurse specialists (CNSs), also considered to be a type of APRN.
Work Environment
Work Environment
Nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners held about 399,000 jobs in 2025. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners was distributed as follows:
| Nurse practitioners | 336,300 |
| Nurse anesthetists | 54,500 |
| Nurse midwives | 8,200 |
The largest employers of nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners were as follows:
| Offices of physicians | 46% |
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 25 |
| Outpatient care centers | 9 |
| Offices of other health practitioners | 5 |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 3 |
Some advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) provide care in patients’ homes. Some nurse midwives work in birthing centers, which are a type of outpatient care center.
APRNs may travel long distances to help care for patients in places where there are not enough healthcare workers.
Injuries and Illnesses
APRN work can be both physically and emotionally demanding. Some APRNs spend much of their day on their feet. They are vulnerable to back injuries because they must lift and move patients. APRN work can also be stressful because they make critical decisions that affect a patient’s health.
Because of the environments in which they work, APRNs may come in close contact with infectious diseases. Therefore, they must follow strict guidelines to guard against diseases and other dangers, such as accidental needle sticks or patient outbursts.
Work Schedules
Most APRNs work full time. In physicians’ offices, APRNs typically work during normal business hours. In hospitals and other healthcare facilities, they may work in shifts—including nights, weekends, and holidays—to provide round-the-clock patient care. Some APRNs, especially those who work in critical care or those who deliver babies, also may need to be on call.
Important Qualities
The following are examples of qualities that are important for these workers to perform their duties. For more information, visit the Employment Projections (EP) skills data page. Communication skills. Advanced practice registered nurses have to be able to communicate with patients and other healthcare professionals to ensure the appropriate course of action. Critical-thinking skills. APRNs must be able to assess changes in a patient’s health, quickly determine the most appropriate course of action, and decide if a consultation with another healthcare professional is needed. Compassion. APRNs should be caring and sympathetic when treating patients. Detail oriented. APRNs need to be thorough in providing treatments and medications that affect their patients’ health. During an evaluation, they must notice even small changes in a patient’s condition. Interpersonal skills. APRNs must work with patients and families as well as with other healthcare providers and staff. They work as part of a team to determine and execute healthcare options for the patients they treat. Leadership skills. APRNs often work in positions of seniority. They must effectively direct and sometimes manage other nurses on staff when providing patient care. Resourcefulness. APRNs should know where to find the answers that they need. Advancement Some APRNs take on managerial or administrative roles; others go into academia. APRNs who earn a doctoral degree may conduct independent research or work on an interprofessional research team.
More Information
More Information, Including Links to O*NET
Learn more about nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
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Start with ED →Career data and occupational profile text are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections program. Education requirements are typical entry-level requirements and may vary by employer, state, occupation or individual circumstance. View the official BLS profile.