The Work of a Nurse Practitioner
A nurse practitioner (NP) is a registered nurse who has achieved a higher level of education and training than other registered nurses. She has more authority and clinical independence than the average registered nurse (RN). Her advanced education includes the minimum of a master’s degree. It also includes specialized training in both the diagnosis and management of many health and medical conditions such as chronic illnesses and serious diseases.
Nurse practitioners are capable of providing to their patients a vast array of health care services. They often provide much the same care that is provided by doctors. It is essential for a NP to maintain a close professional relationship with the physician(s) she works with for the betterment of her patients. NPs are sometimes referred to as “physician extenders” by the medical community for the role they play in treating patients.
A nurse practitioner has enough education, skills and experience to act as a regular health care provider to patients. A nurse practitioner can choose a specialty in her field if she wishes. Most do just that. There are as many kinds of nurse practitioners as there are medical and health care specialties. For example, a pediatric nurse practitioner is a specialist in the nursing field who provides care to babies, children and adolescents. Other common areas of specialty include cardiology, primary care, obstetrics/ gynecology, gerontology/elder care, oncology and gastroenterology.
Nurse practitioners can see patients of any age. They are not limited in this way. Nurse practitioners prescribe medications to their patients. They also treat sicknesses and conduct physical examinations. Their work differs from doctors in that their focus is on the prevention of illness and disease. Their focus is also on wellness and education. These are their top priorities.
The core philosophy that underlies the field of the nurse practitioner is individualized care. What this can mean for patients that come to them is fewer prescriptions to fill and treatments that are less expensive. Central to the work of a NP is to teach patients about how to live healthier lives. NPs also support and encourage their patients to play a significant role in the decisions that are paramount to their care. It is also common to find nurse practitioners being active in patient advocacy activities and conducting research studies.
Duties of a Nurse Practitioner
The nurse practitioner profession is state regulated which means that the duties performed by NPs tend to vary according to where they accept employment. In some states a NP can practice independently of a doctor and is given the authority to treat patients and prescribe medication to them in the same manner as a doctor would. However other states are more restrictive and deem it a necessity for a nurse practitioner to work in a medical practice with a doctor who must sign off on all diagnoses, procedures and prescriptions.
The duties of a NP are many. She collaborates with doctors and other health care professionals as required. She may also provide patients with referrals to other medical professionals.
She also diagnoses acute illnesses, infections and injuries and then goes about treating them in the most effective manner possible. She also diagnoses, treats and monitors a variety of chronic diseases such as diabetes, asthma and high blood pressure.
A nurse practitioner obtains medical histories from her patients and conducts physical examinations. She orders, performs and interprets diagnostic studies such as x-rays, laboratory tests and EKGs. She also routinely prescribes medications to her patients as well as prescribing physical therapy and other kinds of rehabilitation treatments.
Counseling and teaching are other important aspects of a nurse practitioner’s job. She teaches her patients about the things they need to know to lead healthier lives. For example, she counsels and teaches about health behaviors, self-care skills, preventative measures and treatment options. She is there to answer any questions that her patients may have about their health problems and health care.
A nurse practitioner provides prenatal care to her pregnant patients and their unborn babies, as well as providing family planning services. She also provides well-child care which includes such things as immunizations and screenings for diseases. She also provides health maintenance for her adult patients. This takes into consideration annual physical exams.
Where Nurse Practitioners Work
The individualized care provided by nurse practitioners is high quality and cost effective. It is also comparable to the health and medical care provided by doctors. NPs can be found practicing in every state across the country. The services provided to patients by nurse practitioners are covered by most insurance companies.
Nurse practitioners can be found working in any number of medical institutions. They work in hospitals and hospital clinics. They work in community clinics, health centers, health departments, and health maintenance organizations (HMOs). They also work in home health care agencies, hospice centers, nursing homes, nursing schools and their own nurse practitioner offices. They are also employed in physicians’ offices, private offices, public health departments, walk-in clinics, school/college clinics and veterans administration facilities. Practically anywhere you would expect to find a doctor working you will find a NP!
Educational Requirements and Salary
A nurse practitioner is a practical nurse with advanced education and training in her field. To become a NP a nurse first becomes a registered nurse (RN). Most NPs hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) which takes fours years of university study to complete. However some nurses become a registered nurse by taking a two to three year associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) through a community college or junior college.
The next step for the RN is to obtain her master’s level education in nursing with an accredited nurse practitioner track. She must then choose her area of specialization. Most nurse practitioners choose a specialty with a focus in mind, such as a specific medical specialty, a patient population or a particular disease area. All of the nurse’s education does not have to be done at the same institution of higher learning but it all must be obtained through a nursing school with accreditation.
According to a 2009 salary survey of those working in the medical field, the average yearly income for nurse practitioners in 2008 was $81,723. This was a slight increase from the reported salary in 2007.
The annual earnings of a NP are related to her area of specialty as well as what state she works in and what type of medical facility she is employed in. On average the highest earning specialties for nurse practitioners are Ob/Gyn, those who work in
