A Nurse Practitioner (NP) is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) who has completed graduate-level education (either a Master's or a Doctoral degree). Additional APRN roles include the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)s, CNMs, and CNSs. All Nurse Practitioners are Registered Nurses who have completed extensive additional education, training, and have a dramatically expanded scope of practice over the traditional RN role. To become licensed/certified to practice, Nurse Practitioners hold national board certification in an area of specialty (such as family, women's health, pediatrics, adult, acute care, etc.), and are licensed or certified through the state nursing boards rather than medical boards. 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. Another focus is educating patients about their health and encouraging them to make healthy choices. In addition to health care services, NPs conduct research and are often active in patient advocacy activities.
Nurse Practitioners treat both physical and mental conditions through comprehensive history taking, physical exams, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests. NPs can then diagnose the disease and then provide appropriate treatment for the patients, including prescribing medications. NPs can serve as a patient's primary health care provider, and see patients of all ages depending on their specialty (family, pediatrics, geriatrics, etc).
In the United States, nurse practitioners have a national board certification. Nurse Practitioners can be educated and nationally certified in areas of Family Health (FNP), Pediatrics, including Pediatric Acute/Chronic Care, Pediatric Critical Care, Pediatric Oncology and general Pediatrics (PNP), Neonatology (NNP), Gerontology (GNP), Women's Health (WHNP), Psychiatry & Mental Health (PMHNP), Acute Care (ACNP), Adult Health (ANP), Oncology (FNP, ACNP, ANP, PNP or ANP) Emergency (as FNP or ACNP), Occupational Health (as ANP or FNP), etc. In Canada, NPs are licensed by the province or territory in which they practice.
Scope of practice
In the United States, because the profession is state-regulated, care provided by NPs varies widely. Some nurse practitioners work independently of physicians while, in other states, a collaborative agreement with a physician is required for practice. The extent of this collaborative agreement, and the role, duties, responsibilities, medical treatments, pharmacologic prescriptions, etc. afford an NP to perform and prescribe again varies widely amongst states of licensure/certification. practice.
Nurse Practitioners treat both physical and mental conditions through comprehensive history taking, physical exams, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests. NPs can then diagnose the disease and then provide appropriate treatment for the patients, including prescribing medications. NPs can serve as a patient's primary health care provider, and see patients of all ages depending on their specialty (family, pediatrics, geriatrics, etc).
In the United States, nurse practitioners have a national board certification. Nurse Practitioners can be educated and nationally certified in areas of Family Health (FNP), Pediatrics, including Pediatric Acute/Chronic Care, Pediatric Critical Care, Pediatric Oncology and general Pediatrics (PNP), Neonatology (NNP), Gerontology (GNP), Women's Health (WHNP), Psychiatry & Mental Health (PMHNP), Acute Care (ACNP), Adult Health (ANP), Oncology (FNP, ACNP, ANP, PNP or ANP) Emergency (as FNP or ACNP), Occupational Health (as ANP or FNP), etc. In Canada, NPs are licensed by the province or territory in which they practice.
Scope of practice
In the United States, because the profession is state-regulated, care provided by NPs varies widely. Some nurse practitioners work independently of physicians while, in other states, a collaborative agreement with a physician is required for practice. The extent of this collaborative agreement, and the role, duties, responsibilities, medical treatments, pharmacologic prescriptions, etc. afford an NP to perform and prescribe again varies widely amongst states of licensure/certification. practice.
The *Pearson Report provides a current state-by-state breakdown of the specific duties a nurse practitioner may perform in the state. A nurse practitioner's role may include the following:
- Diagnosing, treating, evaluating and managing acute and chronic illness and disease (e.g. diabetes, high blood pressure)
- Obtaining medical histories and conducting physical examinations
- Ordering, performing, and interpreting diagnostic studies (e.g., routine lab tests, bone x-rays, EKGs)
- Prescribing physical therapy and other rehabilitation treatments
- Prescribing drugs for acute and chronic illness (extent of prescriptive authority varies by state regulations)
- Providing prenatal care and family planning services
- Providing well-child care, including screening and immunizations
- Providing primary and specialty care services, health-maintenance care for adults, including annual physicals
- Providing care for patients in acute and critical care settings
- Performing or assisting in minor surgeries and procedures (with additional training and/or under physician supervision in states where mandated; e.g. dermatological biopsies, suturing, casting)
- Counseling and educating patients on health behaviors, self-care skills, and treatment options
Practice settings
NPs practice in all U.S. states, Canadian provinces and territories and in all Australian states and territories. The institutions in which they work may include:
NPs practice in all U.S. states, Canadian provinces and territories and in all Australian states and territories. The institutions in which they work may include:
- Community clinics, health centers, urgent care centers
- Health departments
- Health maintenance organizations (HMOs)
- Home health care agencies
- Hospitals and hospital clinics
- Hospice care
- Nurse practitioner practices/offices
- Nursing homes
- Nursing schools
- Private & public schools, universities and colleges
- Physician/private medical practices
- Physician offices
- Veteran's administration facilities
- Retail-based clinics
- Public health departments
- School/college clinics
- Veterans Administration facilities
- Walk-in clinics
Education, licensing, and board certification
To be licensed as a Nurse Practitioner, the candidate must first complete the education and clinical experiences necessary to be a registered nurse, then go on to complete a graduate-level nurse practitioner program (either a Master's or Doctorate degree). Next, the candidate must pass a national board certification in their area of specialty. Registered nurses initially trained at the associate degree or diploma level must therefore first complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or enter various programs offering an ADN-to-MN/MSN bridge program. Some of these bridge programs may award a Bachelor's degree while the candidate continues to complete the elements of their Master's or Doctorate degree.
To be licensed as a Nurse Practitioner, the candidate must first complete the education and clinical experiences necessary to be a registered nurse, then go on to complete a graduate-level nurse practitioner program (either a Master's or Doctorate degree). Next, the candidate must pass a national board certification in their area of specialty. Registered nurses initially trained at the associate degree or diploma level must therefore first complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or enter various programs offering an ADN-to-MN/MSN bridge program. Some of these bridge programs may award a Bachelor's degree while the candidate continues to complete the elements of their Master's or Doctorate degree.