What is nurse practitioner

August 25, NursePractitionerSchools. A type of advanced practice registered nurse APRN , nurse practitioners NP provide primary and specialty healthcare to patients across the lifespan. Job responsibilities vary by specialization but include managing patient care, prescribing medications, diagnosing and treating illnesses and injuries, and ordering tests.

NPs also offer patient education and counseling. Nurse practitioners may work for hospitals, nursing homes, private practices, and clinics. All states license NPs and regulate their work. Some states let NPs practice independently, while others require them to work with another healthcare professional or under physician supervision.

Nurse practitioners need at least a master of science in nursing MSN degree, advanced clinical training, state licensure, and national certification. This page explores how to become a NP, outlines career and salary expectations, and covers daily responsibilities in this role. We explain these and other specialties below. Licensure and national certification requirements vary by state and specialization.

The first nurse practitioner program started in in Colorado. That same year, Medicare and Medicaid expansion increased the number of Americans who qualified for coverage and could seek primary healthcare. In , an estimated 56, NPs practiced in the U. The rise of the NP profession came in response to the lack of primary care physicians available to meet this need. Nurse practitioners serve an important role in helping to address the continuing primary care shortage, lowering healthcare costs, and improving patient satisfaction.

Nurse practitioners stand out from other healthcare providers by looking at patient health and well-being from a whole-person perspective. NPs need at least an MSN to qualify for licensure. However, the profession increasingly prefers the doctor of nursing practice DNP. Explore programs of your interests with the high-quality standards and flexibility you need to take your career to the next level.

One of their main roles within the healthcare field is to address the shortage of physicians and bring down healthcare costs. NPs provide primary and specialty healthcare, including the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses and injuries, along with patient education and counseling. They also use their advanced clinical training to prescribe medications, oversee and perform minor procedures, plus order laboratory tests. NP specializations usually correspond with patient populations.

Certain states let NPs establish their own private practices, but regulations vary. Nurse practitioners may experience challenges like long hours, high levels of stress, and the threat of burnout. COVID has been especially hard for nurses, with some reported rates of burnout quadrupling six months into the pandemic.

Examples include dressing wounds, providing IV therapy, assessing the respiratory system, and chest tube management. Vital Sign Monitoring and Checking: Knowing how to monitor and check vital signs, including pulse rate, body temperature, blood pressure, and respiration rate helps NPs find and monitor medical problems.

Patient Education: Skilled NPs provide health education and counseling to patients and their families. This can help them understand diagnoses and treatments, make lifestyle changes to improve health conditions and learn how to provide at-home care.

They also need technical skills to complete medical forms accurately. In many areas of health care, Australians are experiencing real benefits of seeing a Nurse Practitioner NP. NPs are adding value to a variety of workplaces and take pride in working as significant members of the team.

If you would like to know more about Nurse Practitioners and their many speciality areas of practice please view the videos below. These videos were developed by the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners as part of the Government supported 'Transforming Health Care' campaign in Australian College of Nurse Practitioners.

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the country could see a shortage of up to , physicians by One of her goals is to help patients and their families make educated healthcare decisions and healthy lifestyle choices.

Skip to content. Despite the difference in title, they're more alike than you think. What is a nurse practitioner? Like a doctor, a nurse practitioner can:. Diagnose and treat acute conditions Order diagnostic tests like X-rays or lab work Manage a patient's overall care Serve as a primary care provider Be board-certified in specialties like family practice or women's health. What's the difference between an NP and a doctor? You could also receive treatment with a different approach if you see an NP, says Estrada.

For example, nurse practitioners who run their own primary care practices might set their own hours. Those who work at hospitals might work weekend or overnight shifts. As with many nursing roles, you may work longer shifts for fewer days per week rather than the traditional 5-day workweek. Nurse practitioner roles are among the fastest-growing careers in the United States.

As APRNs, nurse practitioners have advanced degrees that allow them to take on additional tasks and responsibilities. In many settings, nurse practitioners act as primary care professionals and conduct exams, diagnose conditions, prescribe medications, and provide treatments.

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Experts say when selecting a new primary care physician, you should look for someone who is available as well as someone who you feel comfortable with.