NPs in 2025: Trends to Watch

A greater role for technology, especially artificial intelligence, and more states introducing legislation to allow NPs to practice at the top of their license are among the trends NPs will see in 2025. So forecasted Stephen A. Ferrara, DNP, FNP, president of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), in an interview.

“I firmly believe that technology is going to play an increasingly important role in the way that we provide care, particularly through the use of artificial intelligence,” said Ferrara. “It’s not going to take over practice, but it’s actually going to allow practice to happen more seamlessly.”

Ferrara points to technologies such as ambient listening and ambient scribes, which he noted will allow NPs to connect with their patients without having a computer screen between them. Those technologies, he said, use a microphone that’s set up in the exam room that is picking up the conversation between the NP and the patient and is not just transcribing the conversation but also putting it into an exam note format would be used for documentation purposes. But he warned that “a human being should be making any final decisions when it comes to actually determining what happens with a patient and their care.”

In addition, AI can help reduce bureaucratic tasks, he noted. “One of the biggest challenges as a nurse practitioner is the administrative burden of the work that we do,” such as prior authorization forms and documentation. “I am cautiously optimistic that AI is going to help ease some of that burden,” Ferrara said.

Full Practice

Ferrara said that in 2025, NPs can expect more states to consider granting full practice authority. “We’re going to see more states introduce legislation allowing NPS to practice at the top of our licenses,” he said. The AANP, notes Ferrara, will continue to advocate for full practice authority for NPs. Some 27 states, he said, currently provide full practice authority for NPs.

At the same time, said Ferrara, the AANP will continue to push for the modernization of outdated laws that prevent NPS from caring for patients. That includes advocating for legislation to improve federal employees’ timely access to healthcare for workplace injuries and removing Medicare and Medicaid barriers on NPs and other advanced practice registered nurses.

A new study from the AANP supports granting greater access to NPs for patient care. The State of Primary Care in America survey found that 73% of adults support legislation making it easier to choose an NP as their primary care provider. It also revealed that over a quarter of Americans (27%) say they are not up to date with their health screenings and immunizations.

Demand Stays High

Nurses considering becoming an NP in 2025 and beyond can count on demand remaining high for the role. “I imagine that we’ll continue to see the nurse practitioner profession high in demand, as health systems are increasingly utilizing more and more nurse practitioners across their access points,” said Ferrara.

Growth in the NP profession will continue, agreed Theresa McGowan, DNP, CPNP, adjunct nursing professor at Gwynedd Mercy University, located in suburban Philadelphia, PA. She noted that a report from the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis predicted that by 2036 there will be a shortage of 68,020 full-time primary care physicians. She also notes that the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that nurse practitioner employment will grow by 40% from 2023 to 2033.