What Is a Nurse Practitioner?

Nurse Practitioners (also known as Advanced Practice Nurses) are registered nurses who are prepared, through advanced education and hands-on clinical training, to provide a variety of health care services.

They’re Educated!

Nurse practitioners earn a master’s degree in a specialty area, some have also earned a doctorate degree. The Advanced Practice Nurses can take health histories, perform physical examinations, and diagnose and treat many short-term and long-term illnesses. In addition, they have skills in lab interpretation, selecting appropriate diagnostic tests, prescribing medications and treatments, and providing health education on numerous topics. Nurse practitioners also refer patients to other health professionals when a specialist’s care is needed.

Your Health is Our Priority

Nurse practitioners make prevention, wellness, and education a priority using evidence-based guidelines when making decisions about treatment plans (such as medications and diagnostic tests) to make certain that the recommendations reflect the clinical care the patient truly needs. By involving patients in the decision-making process about their health, the patient is well informed when making health choices.

Quality Care

The quality of care provided by nurse practitioners has been found to be comparable to that provided by a physician and may sometimes even be more affordable. Nurse practitioners are available nationwide and are employed in various settings such as hospitals, outpatient offices, urgent care centers, educational institutions, pharmaceutical companies, and government agencies.