Duties And Responsibilities Of A Nurse Practitioner

There are so many hospitals that have medical healthcare professionals who are not doctors, yet are able to diagnose, write prescriptions, and provide proper medical assessment and care for patients suffering a variety of illnesses and injuries. This medical healthcare professional is known as a nurse practitioner or NP.

In a lot of hospitals and clinics, doctors are often preoccupied seeing patients with a wide array of medical complaints, or are often busy completing insurance paperwork. Luckily for many people, there are other healthcare professionals available who are extensively trained, board certified and duly licensed to provide primary care and health assessment and diagnostics for those in immediate need.

Unlike a registered nurse, an NP is qualified to evaluate and treat patients for many different medical conditions from general medicine to psychiatry. An NP can conduct a physical exam, manage well-child consultations, dispense vaccinations, and ably assist surgeons or perform minor surgeries and emergency procedures themselves.

They are licensed to give pre-natal and post-natal care, and perform the job of an internist when patients come in for consultation over chronic or acute health problems. An NP can conduct methodical and systematic physical exams, and can even prescribe medicines for patients, be they for physical or occupational therapy.

A nurse practitioner is usually in high demand in all sorts of patient care facilities like hospitals, emergency rooms, assisted living facilities, urgent clinics, skilled nursing facilities, and even in hospice care. An NP is patient-oriented and works in shifts to be readily available for every patient concern. Because of their extensive experience as registered nurses, coupled with a Master's degree in nursing, they are crucial to every patient's recovery, particularly due to their counseling skills.

A person wishing to be an NP will need to complete a bachelor's degree in Nursing, followed by a Masters of Science in Nursing degree. The latter is a two-year program, and it focuses on patient care management and treatment. The student NP will learn extensively about anatomy, pharmacology, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, and even medico-legal issues. Just like doctors, NPs can choose their specialization. This is done during the Master's program, and may include pediatrics, family practice, nephrology, gynecology, obstetrics, neurology, and podiatry, among many others.

Upon completion of their Master's a registered nurse needs to secure a license from their state licensing board to work as an NP where they live. A nurse practitioner will be extremely beneficial in providing primary care, as well as patient-centered care for people with a variety of medical conditions.