1.

NURSE PRACTITIONER

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• A NURSE PRACTITIONER (NP) IS AN 
ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSE AND A TYPE OF 
MID-LEVEL PRACTITIONER.[1][2] NPS ARE TRAINED TO ASSESS PATIENT NEEDS,
ORDER AND INTERPRET DIAGNOSTIC AND LABORATORY TESTS, DIAGNOSE
DISEASE, FORMULATE AND PRESCRIBE TREATMENT PLANS. NP TRAINING
COVERS BASIC DISEASE PREVENTION, COORDINATION OF CARE, AND HEALTH
PROMOTION, BUT DOES NOT PROVIDE THE DEPTH OF EXPERTISE NEEDED TO
RECOGNIZE MORE COMPLEX CONDITIONS.[3]
 WHAT DO NURSE PRACTITIONERS DO?

1. NURSE PRACTITIONERS HAVE MORE AUTHORITY THAN REGISTERED NURSES

AND HAVE SIMILAR RESPONSIBILITIES TO THAT OF A DOCTOR.
2. NURSE PRACTITIONERS CAN SERVE AS A PRIMARY CARE OR SPECIALTY CARE
PROVIDERS AND TYPICALLY FOCUS THEIR CARE ON A SPECIFIC POPULATION
SUCH AS FAMILIES, CHILDREN, OR THE ELDERLY. AS CLINICIANS, THEY FOCUS
ON HEALTH PROMOTION AND DISEASE PREVENTION IN THEIR PATIENTS. 

NPs are health care providers that can prescribe medication, examine patients, •
order diagnostic tests, diagnose illnesses, and provide treatment, much like
.physicians do
• THEIR EXPERIENCE AS WORKING NURSES GIVES THEM A UNIQUE
APPROACH TO PATIENT CARE, WHILE THEIR ADVANCED STUDIES
QUALIFY THEM TO TAKE ON ADDITIONAL DUTIES THAT ARE USUALLY
LEFT TO PHYSICIANS.
IN FACT, AS REPORTED BY THE KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION (KFF),
IT’S ESTIMATED THAT NPS CAN PROVIDE 80-90 PERCENT OF THE
CARE THAT PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS OFFER.

• In the remaining states, NPs still have more authority than RNs, but they need a medical doctor to
sign off on certain patient care decisions.
 • NURSE PRACTITIONER SPECIALTIES
In addition to being a general nurse practitioner, NPs can also specialize
in a specific population. They will often attend a nursing program that
allows them to specialize in this area and obtain clinical competency. If
they choose a specialization, they'll also need to become certified in the
specific specialty area.

Pediatric nurse practitioner Oncology nursing

Public health nursing

Geriatric nurse practitioner. Orthopaedic nursing Cardiac Nurse Practitioner

Psychiatric and Mental Health

Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Family Nurse
Practitioner
Oncology Nurse Practitioner
1. HOW MANY YEARS DOES IT TAKE TO BE A NURSE PRACTITIONER?
• ANSWER: IT CAN TAKE SIX TO EIGHT YEARS TO BECOME A NURSE PRACTITIONER (NP) FOR
A STUDENT WITH A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND NO PRIOR COLLEGE CREDITS OR FORMAL
TRAINING IN NURSING

1. IS A NURSE PRACTITIONER HIGHER THAN AN RN?

REGISTERED NURSES NEED A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN NURSING, TO PASS THE NATIONAL
COUNCIL LICENSURE EXAMINATION (NCLEX), AND TO OBTAIN A STATE LICENSURE TO GET
STARTED IN THE MEDICAL FIELD. NURSE PRACTITIONERS, ON THE OTHER HAND, MUST
HAVE EARNED A MASTER'S DEGREE IN NURSING (MSN) OR HIGHER.
WHERE DO NURSE PRACTITIONERS WORK?
Depending on their specialty area of care, skilled nurse practitioners can
provide services to adults, children and families in a variety of medical settings
in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. These may include:

• Community clinics: serving individuals from the community who may

have fewer resources or be uninsured.
• Hospitals: staffing emergency rooms, maternity wards, critical care units
or another area depending on their specialization.
• Private practices: delivering family, pediatric and women’s healthcare
and providing personal attention to patients who a doctor may not have
the time to attend to. 
• Long-term care facilities: delivering geriatric, hospice and palliative care
services.
•Health departments: working alongside
government leaders in handling public health
concerns.

•Schools: providing care onsite, as well as visiting

classrooms and helping students understand
various health care topics. 

•Home health care agencies: caring for an in-home

patient who requires intensive or specialty care.

•Mental health care facilities: overseeing patients

in mental health centers, psychiatric facilities,
correctional facilities and schools
 THE NURSE PRACTIONER
RESPONSIBILITIES
Autonomously and in collaboration with health care professionals and other
individuals, NPs provide a full range of primary, acute and specialty health care
services, including:

•Ordering, performing and interpreting diagnostic tests such as lab work and x-
rays.
•Diagnosing and treating acute and chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood
pressure, infections and injuries.
•Prescribing medications and other treatments.
•Managing patients' overall care.
•Counseling.
•Educating patients on disease prevention and positive health and lifestyle choices.
 NURSE PRACTITIONER DUTIES 
• NURSE PRACTITIONERS:
• CONDUCT HEALTH ASSESSMENTS INCLUDING RECORDING COMPLETE MEDICAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL HISTORY
• RECORD SYMPTOMS
• PHYSICALLY EXAMINE PATIENTS
• MAKE DIAGNOSES
• DEVELOP A TREATMENT PLAN THAT MAY INCLUDE MEDICATION AND OTHER THERAPIES
• PROVIDE PATIENT EDUCATION TO PROMOTE HABITS THAT WILL PREVENT DISEASES AND MAINTAIN GOOD HEALTH
• COLLABORATE WITH OTHER HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, INCLUDING PHYSICIANS AND NURSES
• ORDER AND INTERPRET LABORATORY TEST RESULTS
• FOLLOW UP ON A PATIENT TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF RECOMMENDED TREATMENTS
 NURSE PRACTITIONER SKILLS &
COMPETENCIES
• EMPLOYERS OF NPS, SUCH AS MEDICAL PRACTICES, HOSPITALS, AND LONG-TERM CARE
FACILITIES, PREFER TO HIRE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE THE FOLLOWING ABILITIES:
• COMMUNICATION SKILLS: TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR PATIENTS AND COLLEAGUES, NURSE
PRACTITIONERS NEED EXCELLENT LISTENING, SPEAKING, AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS. THEY
MUST BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR PATIENTS ARE TELLING THEM, CLEARLY
COMMUNICATE INSTRUCTIONS, AND BUILD AND MAINTAIN A TRUSTING RELATIONSHIP.
• PROBLEM SOLVING: BASED ON CLINICAL INTERVIEWS, PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS, AND LAB
TEST RESULTS, NPS MUST IDENTIFY DISEASES AND OTHER HEALTH CONDITIONS. AFTER
MAKING DIAGNOSES, THEY NEED TO PRODUCE TREATMENT PLANS.
 •Critical Thinking: When developing a treatment plan, an NP must be
able to evaluate various options to treat a condition and then identify
the one he or she decides will have the best outcome.

•Compassion: Nurse practitioners must be able to sympathize with

sick, and also worried, patients and their families.

•Leadership Skills: NPs usually manage other members of the

healthcare team such as RNs and licensed practical nurses (LPNs).

Work Schedule

Most nurse practitioners have full-time jobs. Some work

evenings, weekends, and holidays, and some—particularly
those who work in critical care or obstetrics—are required to
be on call to respond to emergencies.