Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Nurse Practitioner Business Owner?

Associates and other clinicians are all educated to be employees and many of us happen to like it that way. But then there is that strong minority of clinicians that wonder… can I? Should I? Do I have what it takes to start my own nurse practitioner business?

This question or a close rendition is often asked by entrepreneurs in nearly every type of business. What do you think is the most important skill an entrepreneur needs in order to succeed in business?

Here are some answers to that question (taken from a variety of industries). You’ll see that these skills and qualities mirror the nursing skills we need to have in order to care for our patients. Imagine that.

1.Flexibility. In any business, but especially in health care, flexibility has to be the operative word. We have certain plans for our patients, for our schedules…and well, you know this story… something comes up and you need to make a change.

2.Self confidence. A lot of things don’t happen without confidence in your abilities to provide excellent care and to rely on yourself in order to get your business up and running.

3.Resourcefulness. Of course, along with flexibility, we have to learn how to be resourceful. With our patients, we try to find resources for our patients or think creatively on how we can get the help they need. This should be applied the same way in our own nurse practitioner business.

4.Persistence. Things don’t often happen as quickly and as easily as we have planned. In most businesses, you’ve got to have persistence and the ability of not giving up. While it’s always possible that the day may come when you have to throw in the towel, you’ve got to have the persistence in order to keep things going.

5.Creativity. Thinking outside the box is essential. Just the thought of having your own nurse practitioner business is one way of getting outside of our self-imposed boxes. However, in order to really thrive, you have to scribble outside the lines.

6.Compassion - You’ve got the compassion in nursing and caring for your patients, but don’t forget to have a bit for yourself and your family as well. You are all in this together.

7.Innovative. What can you do differently and better than everyone else in your niche? What can you take from an unrelated niche and apply it to healthcare and your patient population – especially if it will change how things will be done? Be innovative and you’ll be successful.

8.Decisiveness. You have to make decisions. Period. They may not be popular decisions, but you have to make them nevertheless. You need to learn how to decide on various business matters such as payroll, staffing, patients, contracts and oh so much more.

9.Organized. Yes, we need to be organized. You’ll be doing so much more than you are doing now and your life will be so much easier if you get and stay organized. You are wearing a dozen or more hats – believe me, it helps to be organized.