What type of degree do I need to become a nurse practitioner? How do I choose the right clinical preceptor? How can I best prepare for my first year of practice? Written for those considering NP practice, current NP students, and newly certified NPs alike, this quick, easy-to-use manual covers everything there is to know about transitioning into the NP role, its rewards, and its challenges. This second edition includes several new chapters, covering electronic health records, the impact of health care reform, promoting the NP role, and choosing a doctoral program. All of the original chapters have been revised or expanded, with updated key points, tables, and vignettes supplying cutting-edge knowledge and skills to help new NPs excel. The only resource of its kind, this book guides the reader through the entire process of becoming an NP, from the initial decision to the selection of the right educational program to licensure. It discusses the contractual relationship with institutions and related health providers, along with legal and administrative issues. Currently practicing NPs offer words of wisdom on how to survive the first year of practice, and stories from the author and her colleagues provide an intimate look at everyday realities. Organized for easy access to information and filled with humor, the book features learning objectives, quizzes, checklists to facilitate decision making, and other helpful tools. Fast Facts in a Nutshell boxes highlight need-to-know information, and useful tips and resource lists provide information on scholarships, certification, professional organizations, and networking. New to the Second Edition: The dos and doníts of electronic health records Surviving health care reform today and tomorrow Marketing the NP role to the nursing profession, employers, and the public The terminal degree in nursing: PhD, EdD, or DNP? Revised and expanded information in all chapters Updated key points, vignettes, and tables Nadine M. Aktan, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, received her bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in nursing from Rutgers University College of Nursing and Graduate School in New Brunswick and Newark, New Jersey. She is currently chairperson and associate professor at William Paterson University in Wayne, New Jersey, teaching future nurses and nurse practitioners. She also practices as a family nurse practitioner at the Immedicenter, an urgent care/family practice with locations in Clifton, Bloomfield, and Totowa, New Jersey, and as a maternal–child community health nurse for Valley Home Care in Paramus, New Jersey.