How To Become A Dermatology Nurse Practitioner: What It Is and Career Path

What is a dermatology nurse practitioner and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Donna Hallas PhD, RN, PPCNP-BC, CPNP, PMHS, FAANP, FAAN

Dermatology nurse practitioners are responsible for identifying, diagnosing, and treating common dermatological diseases such as psoriasis, dermatitis, and dermatological infections such as those caused by viruses, fungi, or bacteria. They typically consult with dermatologists, surgeons, or other medical professionals. You can see them working in hospitals, physician's offices, or clinics.

The main work of a dermatology nurse practitioner would be to perform comprehensive medical examinations. This includes collecting a full medical history from patients, including what drugs they take, doing a physical examination, scheduling the required examinations, and reviewing the findings. They will then develop a diagnosis based on the evaluation and provide a treatment plan.

A master's degree and Dermatology Nurse Practitioner certificate are required to qualify for this role. It is also a requirement to finish a minimum of 3,000 hours of practice in dermatology and Nurse Practitioner certificates. It is also important to have extensive knowledge of physiology and pathophysiology in dermatology and its treatment.

What general advice would you give to a dermatology nurse practitioner?

Donna Hallas PhD, RN, PPCNP-BC, CPNP, PMHS, FAANP, FAAN

Clinical Professor & Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program Director, New York University

The biggest change to the profession over the next five years will be to find safe and effective ways to implement Artificial Intelligence (AI) into our practices. While AI is a huge game-changer, Nurse Practitioners and all health care providers, must apply the principles of critical thinking for each particular care to assure that patients are receiving the best evidence-based care.

ScoreDermatology Nurse PractitionerUS Average

Salary

7.6

Avg. Salary $98,727

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

10.0

Growth rate 40%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

2.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.32%

Asian 6.33%

Black or African American 4.66%

Hispanic or Latino 6.65%

Unknown 4.50%

White 77.54%

Gender

female 92.91%

male 7.09%

Age - 41

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41

Stress level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.4

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a dermatology nurse practitioner

Explore dermatology nurse practitioner education requirements

Most common dermatology nurse practitioner degrees

Bachelor's

45.3 %

Associate

29.2 %

Master's

19.8 %

Start to develop specific dermatology nurse practitioner skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	47.17%
Diagnosis	11.73%
Patient Education	8.27%
Mohs	6.18%
Epic	4.99%

Complete relevant dermatology nurse practitioner training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New dermatology nurse practitioners learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a dermatology nurse practitioner based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real dermatology nurse practitioner resumes.

Research dermatology nurse practitioner duties and responsibilities

Manage pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment of diabetes and provide prescriptions and education before discharge from the hospital.
Present patient education regarding diagnosis, procedure, and treatment including medication instructions and wind care instructions.
Maintain patient medical and pharmaceutical records in EMR.
Perform skin biopsies to obtain accurate diagnosis of malignant skin conditions and neoplasms of uncertain behavior.

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