Nurse Practitioner
As the need to provide quality health care to all individuals grows,
nurse practitioners are increasingly utilized to provide care. Nurse
practitioners (NPs) are registered nurses who have received advanced
education and clinical training at a graduate level. These nurses offer
primary health services and work with patients across the lifespan in
all areas of health. NPs focus primarily on health promotion and
maintenance, disease prevention, and diagnosing and managing acute and
chronic illnesses.
Included in the care a NP provides are:
- Taking patient histories and performing physical exams
- Diagnose and treat common acute illnesses and injuries
- Provide immunizations
- Order and interpret laboratory tests
- Prescribe medication
- Provide family planning services and prenatal care.
- Counsel patients on healthy lifestyle choices
- Also work as educators, researchers and are actively involved in legislative issues to influence health care policy promoting quality health care delivery to the nation.
Most NP’s practice within a specific clinical specialty that include:
- Neonatal NP—care of the newborn from birth to 28 days
- Pediatric NP—care of children from two months to 18 years
- Family Health NP—care of the entire family
- Women’s Health NP—care of women throughout the lifespan
- Oncology NP—care of patients with cancer
- Geriatric NP—care of the elderly
Most NP’s have training at the graduate level with a master’s degree and are certified by a national board. NP’s must have strong critical thinking, good judgment, the ability to prioritize, and strong interpersonal communication skills.
Associations:
American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
P.O. Box 12846
Austin, TX 78711
(512) 442-4262
FAX: (512) 442-6469
e-mail: admin@aanp.org
Web site: www.aanp.org
American College of Nurse Practitioners
503 Capital Court, NE, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 546-4825
FAX: (202) 546-4797
e-mail: acnp@nurse.org
Web site: www.nurse.org/acnp
Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal
Nurses
2000 L St., NW, Suite 740
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 261-2413
FAX: (202) 728-0575
e-mail: gailk@awhonn.org
Web site: www.awhonn.org
National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates and Practitioners
1101 Kings Highway, North, Suite 206
Cherry Hill, NJ 08034-1912
(856) 667-1773
FAX: (856) 667-7187
e-mail: napap1@aol.com
Web site: www.napnap.org
National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties
1522 K St., NW, Suite 702
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 289-8044
FAX: (202) 289-8046
e-mail: nonpf@nonpf.org
Web site: www.nonpf.com
Source: