A Nurse Practitioner (NP) is one of the four types of advanced practice nurses: Nurse Practitioners, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Anesthetists. All advanced practice nurses (APN) must be a registered nurse (RN) and have earned a master’s degree in nursing (MSN).  NPs graduate within a specialty and often get nationally certified within that specialty.  Sometimes NPs are referred to as “Mid-level providers or practitioners” or “Physician Extenders.”  The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners has defined nurse practitioners as “licensed independent practitioners who practice in ambulatory, acute and long term care as primary and/or specialty care providers.”

Nurse Practitioners provide medical services according to their specialty by diagnosing, treating, and managing acute or chronic illnesses.  These services can include ordering laboratory and diagnostic tests, reviewing test results, writing prescriptions for medications, and teaching and counseling patients and family members about the disease and its management (see table below).  Patients and families are also educated on health promotion activities and disease prevention tactics. NPs manage and treat patients with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, renal disease, etc.

 

Manage and treat patients with acute illness or injuries such as trauma, sudden respiratory distress, drug and alcohol toxicity, etc.

Manage and treat patients with chronic illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, cancer, etc.

Provide well-child care to include immunizations, school physicals, health screening

Provide perinatal care

Collect health histories

Write prescriptions for medications

Prescribe Physical or Occupational therapy or other rehabilitation services

Perform physical exams and assessments

Serve as a patient advocate for patients in the multidisciplinary team

Engage in research and evidence-based practice

Diagnose illnesses

Order diagnostic tests such as x-rays, CT scans, MRIs, EKGs

Order laboratory tests such as blood chemistries, cell blood counts, microbiology, urine analysis

Review and interpret results of tests and guide the patient’s care accordingly

Educate patients and families about the illness or injury and how to care for it at home, prevent further exacerbations, signs and symptoms to be aware of, and answering questions

Providing counseling and education on health promotion and prevention in well-visits

Perform procedures such as biopsies, placing or removing sutures, placing or removing chest tubes, placing central lines, removing or downsizing tracheostomy tubes

 

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