What Is a Nurse Practitioner?
Will they replace the family doctor?
Nurse Practitioner Definition, Education and Training, Licensure and
Certification Physician developed and monitored.
Original Date of Publication: 11 Jun 2001
Reviewed by: Under Constructioin
Original Source:
http://www.womenshealthchannel.com/nursepractitioner.shtml
A nurse practitioner (NP) is a registered nurse (RN) who has completed
advanced education (a minimum of a master's degree) and training in
the diagnosis and management of common medical conditions, including
chronic illnesses. Nurse practitioners provide a broad range of health
care services. They provide some of the same care provided by
physicians and maintain close working relation****ps with physicians.
An NP can serve as a patient's regular health care provider.
Nurse practitioners see patients of all ages. The core philosophy of
the field is individualized care. Nurse practitioners focus on
patients' conditions as well as the effects of illness on the lives of
the patients and their families. NPs make prevention, wellness, and
patient education priorities. This can mean fewer prescriptions and
less expensive treatments. Informing patients about their health care
and encouraging them to participate in decisions are central to the
care provided by NPs. In addition to health care services, NPs conduct
research and are often active in patient advocacy activities.
Because the profession is state regulated, care provided by NPs
varies. A nurse practitioner's duties include the following:
Collaborating with physicians and other health professionals as
needed, including providing referrals
Counseling and educating patients on health behaviors, self-care
skills, and treatment options
Diagnosing and treating acute illnesses, infections, and injuries
Diagnosing, treating, and monitoring chronic diseases (e.g., diabetes,
high blood pressure)
Obtaining medical histories and conducting physical examinations
Ordering, performing, and interpreting diagnostic studies (e.g., lab
tests, x-rays, EKGs)
Prescribing medications
Prescribing physical therapy and other rehabilitation treatments
Providing prenatal care and family planning services
Providing well-child care, including screening and immunizations
Providing health maintenance care for adults, including annual
physicals
Nurse practitioners provide high-quality, cost-effective
individualized care that is comparable to the health care provided by
physicians, and NP services are often covered by insurance providers.
NPs practice in all states. The institutions in which they work
include the following:
Community clinics and health centers
Health departments
Health maintenance organizations (HMOs)
Home health care agencies
Hospitals and hospital clinics
Hospice centers
Nurse practitioner offices
Nursing homes
Nursing schools
Physician offices
Private offices
Public health departments
School/college clinics
Veterans Administration facilities
Walk-in clinics
Most NPs specialize in a particular field of medical care, and there
are as many types of NPs as there are medical specialties. Surveys
find that patients like NPs better than their former family doctor and
have far more confidence in their opinions and personal care. NPs are
replacing the GPs in many parts of the USA forcing GPs to return to
medical schools for further training as specialists.
Some nurse practitioners focus specifically on obstetrics and
gynecology. They provide services that include the following:
Care before and after menopause
Contraceptive care
Evaluation and treatment of common vaginal infections
Health and wellness counseling
Midwifery
Physical exams, including Pap smears
Pregnancy testing and care before, during, and after pregnancy
Screening and referral for other health problems
STD screening and follow-up
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