What is A Urology Nurse Practitioner? (Duties, Steps to Become, & Salary)


Written By: Pattie TrumblePattie Trumble, MPP, MPH

Pattie Trumble is a nurse who worked in both California and New York for many years as an emergency room nurse. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and an Associate Degree in Nursing from the Samuel Merritt Hospital School of Nursing. Read Full Bio »»
, MPP, MPH


Want an NP specialization in a fascinating field? Urology nurse practitioners deal with medical issues related to the urinary tract, such as bladder and ureter infections, cancers, and kidney stones. Depending upon their state’s scope of practice, they can collaborate with other healthcare providers or work alone. Urology is a specialty in high demand, too: 62 percent of American counties have no trained urology professionals, yet the rate of urinary tract cancers, infections, and other illnesses is steadily rising. Wondering, “What is a urology nurse practitioner?” This article will tell you everything you need to know about becoming a urology nurse practitioner – what do they do, steps-to-become, and salary.


What Does a Urology Nurse Practitioner Do? – 6 Main Duties and Responsibilities


Urology patients are often referrals, so much of a urology NP’s daily practice consists of reviewing signs and symptoms affecting the kidneys, the bladder, the urethra, and the ureters, ruling conditions out using physical assessment and diagnostic tests, and then treating the conditions that are left. Urology NPs can work in outpatient clinics or as inpatient hospital advisors. Here’s a list of some of the things urology NPs may do each day:

1. Patient consultations: Urology NPs who work in clinic settings most frequently diagnose and treat comparatively common conditions like chronic urinary tract infections, over-active bladders, enlarged prostates, and incontinence. They also work with patients who have male sexual disorders like erectile dysfunction and Peyronie’s disease and with biological females affected by conditions like pelvic prolapse and pelvic floor disorders.


2. Diagnostic and therapeutic procedures: Urology NPs who work in hospitals often perform or assist in procedures such as cystoscopies, ureteral stent placements, suprapubic tube insertions, and Transrectal Ultrasound (TRUS)-guided dual-arm robotic needle biopsies.

3. Collaborations with urology team members: Frequently, urology NPs work in private practice groups with MD urologists and urological surgeons to whom the NPs will turn for guidance and insight on more complex cases. In hospital settings, urology nurse practitioners also work with radiologists, oncologists, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to better provide continuity of care.

4. Assisting urological surgeons: Urology nurse practitioners may be called upon to assist during urological surgical procedures in hospital and ambulatory care clinics.

5. Surgical follow-ups and discharges: While urological surgeons often see patients for pre-operative care, follow-up visits are typically handled by the practice’s nurse practitioners. This calls for excellent communication skills since urology NPs must provide patients with information about further treatment options, medications, medication interactions, and lifestyle modifications.

6. Administrative duties: Documenting patient interactions is an essential part of all healthcare providers' responsibilities. Urology nurse practitioners spend a significant portion of their time writing up patient encounters, communicating with pharmacies about medication prescriptions, submitting insurance claims, and similar activities.


Where Do Urology Nurse Practitioners Mostly Work? – Top 3 Work Settings


Urology nurse practitioners work in a variety of practice settings. Here are the top three:

1. General urology practices: According to the American Urological Association, most urology NPs work in general urology clinics. Approximately 90 percent of those practices are in metropolitan areas.

2. Specialty urology clinics: Urology NPs also work in a variety of clinics dedicated to urologic specializations, such as erectile dysfunction, oncology, endourology (minimally invasive removal of kidney and bladder stones), and pediatrics.

3. Hospitals and ambulatory care clinics: Urology nurse practitioners who work in hospitals and ambulatory care clinics perform procedures, order and interpret diagnostic tests, assist with surgeries, and participate in patient education and discharge planning.


What is the Typical Work Schedule and Work Hours of a Urology NP?


Urology NPs’ work schedules depend upon where they work. Urology NPs employed in private practice can expect to work Monday through Friday, 10 to 6 because that’s when their clinics are usually open. If their clinics are open on weekends, they may need to come in on an occasional Saturday. They will probably be on emergency call for several hours each month.

Hospitals are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so NP urology professionals who work in these practice settings may find themselves working day shifts (7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.), swing shifts (3:00 to 11:30 p.m.), and night shifts (11:00 p.m. to 7:30 a.m.) They, too, can expect to be on call a certain number of hours every month.


What Education is Required to Become a Urology Nurse Practitioner After High School?


Becoming a urology nurse practitioner can be a lengthy process because “urology” isn’t part of the APRN consensus model in which NPs are trained to care for defined population groups. It will take you two to five years to earn the academic credentials (Master’s of Science in Nursing or Doctor of Nursing Practice) that will qualify you to become a urology NP. However, since “urology NP” is not one of the eight specializations taught in nurse practitioner programs, much of your specific education will come from on-the-job training in the field.

Most urology nurse practitioners are advanced practice registered nurses with a specialization in adult-gerontology who have taken continuing education courses in urology and worked with a practicing urologist for several years before pursuing certification through the Society of Urologic Nurses & Associates (SUNA.)


How Long Does It Take to Become a Urology NP After High School?


Program TypeProgram Length
BSN36 to 48 Months
BSN-to-MSN (NP)12 to 24 Months
BSN-to-DNP (NP)36 to 48 Months


How Much Does It Cost to Become a Urology NP After High School?


Program TypeProgram Cost
BSN$8,730 - $219,450
BSN-to-MSN (NP)$20,740 - $201,980
BSN-to-DNP (NP)$28,390 - $277,320


What is the Step-by-Step Process of Becoming a Urology Nurse Practitioner After High School?

(The following is a step-by-step process to become A Urology NP after high school.)


STEP #1: Become a registered nurse

A registered nursing license is the first step to becoming a urology nurse practitioner. You must have an academic degree to qualify for the licensing examination. Two-year community college programs and hospital diploma programs will help you earn the credits you need for an associate nursing degree, which is the bare minimum. But, since a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (BSN) is a prerequisite for nearly all graduate nursing degree programs, it’s most efficient to earn a BSN at the start.

Nursing programs at every level are highly competitive these days. Most nursing programs require high school algebra, biology, and chemistry, so make sure you take these classes. Many community college associate degree programs require applicants to be certified nurse aides. It will improve your chances of getting into the undergraduate nursing program you want if you have significant volunteer or paid experience at a hospital or extended care facility.

Once you graduate, you’ll be prepared to sit for the NCLEX-RN, a standardized examination administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. After you pass this examination, you must apply to your state board of nursing to obtain your registered nursing license.


STEP #2: Work as a urology nurse

The ideal job for you, once you attain your license, would be employment in a general urology practice where you will see a variety of urology patients over the next few years. Without previous experience in the field of urology, however, it may be challenging to find such a job, so you may need to work in an acute practice setting for a time where you can ask to be assigned to urology inpatients.


STEP #3: Become a Certified Urology Registered Nurse

Certifications are important to you as a registered nurse because they testify to your expertise in areas beyond the general knowledge you need for RN licensure. SUNA offers a Certified Urology Registered Nurse accreditation that will enhance your professional credibility.

This exam is only open to registered nurses with active, unencumbered licenses who’ve graduated from a nationally accredited nursing program. You must have two or more years of professional experience working as an RN and have spent at least 800 hours caring for patients with urologic conditions.


STEP #4: Attain your advanced practice registered nursing (APRN) degree and license

All nurse practitioners must complete either an MSN or a DNP to become certified and licensed APRNs. If you are interested in research or management, a DNP may be the optimal choice because this degree prepares you for leadership roles in urologic healthcare administration, but a DNP typically takes four to five years to complete. If your future ambitions are in urology clinical practice, an MSN is a better option because you can complete it in two to three years.

No nurse practitioner programs focus specifically on the urology specialization. Most nurse practitioners who go on to specialize in the field of urology earn their advanced practice certifications in adult-gerontology or family nurse practice.

You must pass a national certification exam after you earn your degree and graduate from your program. There are three certification exams for adult-gerontology NPs: The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) offers both an Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) and an Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Certification (AGPCNP) certification exam, while the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) offers an Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (A-GNP) certification exam. Both ANCC and AANPCB offer Family Nurse Practitioner certification exams. Both NP certification organizations are equally respected.

After you achieve your NP certification, you must apply to your state board of nursing for a license to practice in your state. Licensing requirements vary from state to state.


STEP #5: Pursue an NP urology fellowship

While urology nurse practitioner programs are in short supply, nine hospitals and medical centers throughout the United States offer urology fellowships to advanced practice providers. (See below.)

Competition for admission is intense, but these fellowships will improve your marketability enormously by
giving you the opportunity to learn essential urology-specific skills. They will also introduce you to the importance of working collaboratively and expose you to the many subspecialties that exist in the field of urology.


STEP #6: Find employment in the urology field

Finding your first job as a urology nurse practitioner may be challenging since employers prefer to hire experienced healthcare workers, and even as an APRN, you may need more experience in the field of urology. Persevere! There is a critical shortage of nurse practitioners with urology expertise, and most healthcare employers understand that they will need to devote six to 12 months of orientation and on-the-job training to get their new urology NP hires up to speed.


STEP #7: Take continuing education classes in urology

Continuing education courses can help you develop workforce competencies and integrate evidence-based practice guidelines into your daily work. Urology nurse practitioners must take a certain number of continuing education hours every year to maintain their APRN certification.

Several professional organizations, including the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and the Society of Urologic Nurses and Associates, offer CEU courses that focus on urology and nephrology. Additionally, so do a variety of more commercially-minded CEU providers.


STEP #8: Join professional urology NP organizations

Joining professional urology organizations will facilitate staying up-to-date with the most current trends in your specialty in addition to providing you with educational, employment, and networking opportunities. The two most important professional organizations for urology NPs are the Society of Urologic Nurses & Associates (SUNA) and the American Urological Association (AUA.) See below for a more in-depth discussion of these two organizations.


STEP #9: Become a Certified Urology Nurse Practitioner

Pursuing a board-certified urology NP credential will establish you as an expert in the field of urology. It will increase your employability in all but entry-level jobs since employers staffing for a busy practice would rather work with nursing professionals who can hit the ground running, and passing this rigorous examination will guarantee you can do just that.

SUNA administers the Certified Urologic Nurse Practitioner (CUNP) exam. Applicants must have completed an MSN or a DNP and hold current certification as a nurse practitioner from a national certifying board to take this test. Additionally, applicants must have two or more years of experience working as a nurse practitioner and at least 800 hours of experience providing care for patients affected by urological conditions.


What are the Required Or Recommended Certifications for Urology Nurse Practitioners?


The preeminent certification for nurse practitioners in the urology field is the Certified Urology Nurse Practitioner (CUNP) certification administered by the Certification Board for Urologic Nurses and Associates (CBUNA.)

This certification attests that an NP has the education and clinical expertise in urology to command the professional recognition of their peers. With certification comes a competitive advantage when looking for employment and greater advancement opportunities in the field of urology once you begin working.


Are There any Fellowship Or Residency Programs Available for Urology Nurse Practitioners?


Fellowships have only recently become established as a useful post-graduate adjunct to nurse practitioner training. Nine fellowships exist for nurse practitioners who are interested in specializing in urology:

Atrium Health Systems: An intense 12-month program administered by the McKay Department of Urology in Charlotte, North Carolina. Admits one fellow per year.

Emory University School of Medicine: Though this residency is described as a fellowship for physician assistants, it also admits nurse practitioners. It takes place in Atlanta, Georgia, and admits two fellows annually.

Mayo Clinic: The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, admits two fellows annually into its one-year postgraduate urology fellowship.

Prisma Health: Prisma Health’s 12-month Advanced Practice Provider Fellowship in Urology operates from the Prisma Health Greenville Memorial Hospital in Greenville, South Carolina, and admits one fellow every year.

University of Southern California: Although USC’s Aresty Department of Urology describes this residency as a fellowship for physician assistants, it also accepts nurse practitioners. The one-year fellowship is in Los Angeles, California, and accepts two fellows annually.

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center: The 12-month Garry Weber APP Urology Fellowship program is conducted at the William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital and admits one new fellow each year.

University of Virginia School of Medicine: UV’s Nurse Practitioner Urology Fellowship Program was designed by NPs. It’s administered through the School of Medicine’s Department of Urology in Charlottesville, Virginia, and admits one fellow per year.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center: Vanderbilt’s Urology Nurse Practitioner Fellowship, located in Nashville, Tennessee, is 12 months long and accepts one fellow every year.

Washington University School of Medicine: Washington University is in Saint Louis, Missouri. Its one-year Urology Advanced Practice Provider fellowship accepts one fellow annually.


What is the Starting Salary of a New Grad Urology Nurse Practitioner?


Urology nurse practitioners earn $100,280 annually. This breaks down to $48.21 an hour, $1,928 a week, or $8,360 a month. You can expect variation in these figures from state to state.

As noted above, there are no MSN/DNP programs and comparatively few fellowships expressly designed for urology nurse practitioners. That means that most urology NPs start their professional careers with few of the skills in their specialty that employers are likely to pay extra for. You’d expect entry-level urology NPs to make approximately the same salary as other NPs who aren’t in the field of urology.

Hourly$48.21
Weekly$1,928
Monthly$8,360
Annual$100,280


What is the Average Salary of a Urology Nurse Practitioner?


The average urology nurse practitioner salary is $143,150 a year. This comes to $68.82 hourly, $2,753 weekly, or $11,930 monthly. Urology nurse practitioners typically reach this benchmark in their 10th year of practice.

Hourly$68.82
Weekly$2,753
Monthly$11,930
Annual$143,150
(Source: Nursingprocess.org)


What is the Salary by Level of Experience of a Urology NP?


The more experience a urology nurse practitioner has, the more productive they will be. Healthcare employers recognize this and adjust compensation accordingly.

Hiring a new urology NP can be an operationally costly process because, in most instances, these NPs may not be able to handle patients independently, which will affect a medical practice’s bottom line. As noted above, onboarding a new urology nurse practitioner hire typically takes between six months and one year. By the end of one year of training, the new hire will be considerably more efficient, and this is reflected in their pay scale. Urology NPs with one to four years of experience make 18 percent more than urology NPs who are just starting, while urology NPs with five to nine years of experience make 39 percent more than entry-level urology NPs.

With 10 to 19 years of experience under your stethoscope, you can expect to make a salary 55 percent higher than what you earned at the beginning of your career. As a seasoned pro with 20 or more years of practice, you’ll make nearly double what you earned as a new urology nurse practitioner.

Level of ExperienceHourlyWeeklyMonthlyAnnual
Entry-Level$48.21$1,928$8,360$100,280
1-4 Years of Experience$57.00$2,280$9,880$118,550
5-9 Years of Experience$67.13$2,685$11,640$139,630
10-19 Years of Experience$74.78$2,991$12,960$155,540
20 Years or More Experience$91.21$3,648$15,810$189,720


What is the Average Salary of a Urology NP by State?


StateHourlyWeeklyMonthlyAnnual
Alabama$58.85$2,354$10,200$122,400
Alaska$64.25$2,570$11,140$133,630
Arizona$67.02$2,681$11,620$139,400
Arkansas$59.13$2,365$10,250$122,980
California$87.29$3,492$15,130$181,560
Colorado$64.27$2,571$11,140$133,690
Connecticut$72.58$2,903$12,580$150,970
Delaware$66.55$2,662$11,540$138,430
Florida$60.89$2,436$10,550$126,650
Georgia$63.72$2,549$11,050$132,540
Hawaii$70.83$2,833$12,280$147,320
Idaho$64.98$2,599$11,260$135,160
Illinois$67.51$2,701$11,700$140,430
Indiana$67.19$2,688$11,650$139,760
Iowa$70.75$2,830$12,260$147,170
Kansas$61.64$2,466$10,680$128,210
Kentucky$60.33$2,413$10,460$125,480
Louisiana$65.25$2,610$11,310$135,720
Maine$65.30$2,612$11,320$135,820
Maryland$66.04$2,642$11,450$137,370
Massachusetts$76.56$3,063$13,270$159,250
Michigan$62.81$2,512$10,890$130,640
Minnesota$70.75$2,830$12,260$147,150
Mississippi$64.73$2,589$11,220$134,630
Missouri$62.48$2,499$10,830$129,950
Montana$66.22$2,649$11,480$137,730
Nebraska$65.67$2,627$11,380$136,590
Nevada$75.20$3,008$13,030$156,410
New Hampshire$69.43$2,777$12,030$144,410
New Jersey$79.07$3,163$13,710$164,470
New Mexico$71.51$2,861$12,400$148,750
New York$78.09$3,124$13,540$162,430
North Carolina$63.17$2,527$10,950$131,400
North Dakota$62.89$2,516$10,900$130,820
Ohio$64.83$2,593$11,240$134,840
Oklahoma$67.20$2,688$11,650$139,770
Oregon$75.21$3,008$13,040$156,430
Pennsylvania$66.54$2,662$11,530$138,410
Rhode Island$69.13$2,765$11,980$143,800
South Carolina$60.24$2,410$10,440$125,300
South Dakota$63.82$2,553$11,060$132,740
Tennessee$54.83$2,193$9,500$114,040
Texas$68.81$2,753$11,930$143,130
Utah$63.82$2,553$11,060$132,740
Vermont$64.37$2,575$11,160$133,880
Virginia$64.57$2,583$11,190$134,310
Washington$74.85$2,994$12,970$155,680
West Virginia$58.95$2,358$10,220$122,610
Wisconsin$66.91$2,676$11,600$139,170
Wyoming$63.61$2,544$11,030$132,300


What is the Job Outlook Like for This Career?


The job outlook for urology NPs is excellent. Demand for urology nurse practitioners’ services is projected to rise by 45 percent between 2022 and 2024. The American population is aging, and aging populations tend to use more urology-related services.

Additionally, there is a nationwide shortage of specialty physicians like urologists. According to the American Association of Clinical Urologists, the average age of urologists in the U.S. is 52—close to retirement age. Healthcare economists predict that advanced practice providers like nurse practitioners will fill the void left by urology physicians who retire.

2022-32
+44.54%


Useful Organizations and Associations


1. Society of Urologic Nurses & Associates (SUNA)
2. American Urological Association (AUA)


My Final Thoughts


This article has covered everything you need to know about being a urology nurse practitioner – what do they do, steps-to-become, and salary.

Whether your favorite part of being an NP is showing off your technical skills by performing complex procedures or demonstrating your empathy by working closely with patients who may be having one of the worst days of their lives, urology will give you many opportunities to do what you love. The demand for urology NPs over the coming decade is projected to increase sharply, and with that will come a spike in salary. What is a urology nurse practitioner? Maybe it’s your future!


Frequently Asked Questions Answered


1. On Average, How Much Does A Urology NP Make Per Hour?

The average salary of a Urology nurse practitioner per hour is $68.82.

$68.82


2. On Average, How Much Does A Urology NP Make Per Week?

The average salary of a Urology nurse practitioner per week is $2,753.

$2,753


3. On Average, How Much Does A Urology NP Make Per Month?

The average salary of a Urology nurse practitioner per month is $11,930.

$11,930


4. On Average, How Much Does A Urology NP Make Per Year?

The average salary of a Urology nurse practitioner per year is $143,150.

$143,150


List of Sources Used for This Article


1. Current State of Advanced Practice Providers in Urologic Practice:
https://www.auanet.org/guidelines-and-quality/quality-and-measurement/quality-improvement/clinical-consensus-statement-and-quality-improvement-issue-brief-(ccs-and-qiib)/current-state-of-advanced-practice-providers-in-urologic-practice
2. Projected US Urology Workforce per Capita, 2020-2060: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2786183#
3. Key Statistics for Bladder Cancer: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/bladder-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
4. Antibiotic-resistant urinary tract infections are on the rise: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/antibiotic-resistant-urinary-tract-infections-are-on-the-rise-2019101417982
5. Current State of Advanced Practice Providers in Urologic Practice: https://www.auanet.org/guidelines-and-quality/quality-and-measurement/quality-improvement/clinical-consensus-statement-and-quality-improvement-issue-brief-(ccs-and-qiib)/current-state-of-advanced-practice-providers-in-urologic-practice
6. APRN Consensus Model: https://www.aacnnursing.org/our-initiatives/education-practice/teaching-resources/aprn-education/consensus-model#
7. Developing and Educating the Nurse Practitioner Workforce in Urology: https://auanews.net/issues/articles/2022/march-2022/developing-and-educating-the-nurse-practitioner-workforce-in-urology
8. Geriatric urology and the evolving role of the nurse practitioner: https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA502001286&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=1053816X&p=AONE&sw=
w&userGroupName=nysl_oweb&isGeoAuthType=true&aty=geo


Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPH
Pattie Trumble is a nurse who worked in both California and New York for many years as an emergency room nurse. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and an Associate Degree in Nursing from the Samuel Merritt Hospital School of Nursing. After 10 years of providing direct care, she went back to school and earned concurrent Master’s degrees in both public policy and public health from the University of California, Berkeley. Thereafter, she worked for various public health agencies in California at both the community and state levels providing economic and legislative analysis.