Rosa A. Paulino, MSN

Nurse practitioners (NPs) are registered nurses who provide primary and specialty care most commonly in the areas of family practice, adult practice, women’s health, pediatrics, acute care, geriatrics, and long-term care. These advanced practice nurses are considered mid-level providers/practitioners who, depending on the state in which they practice, have varying levels of physician collaboration or supervision or may function independently of physician involvement.

Nurse practitioners treat both acute and chronic conditions by taking medical history, performing physicianal exams, ordering tests and therapies, and prescribing medications within their scope of practice. In family practice in particularly, it is common to see a nurse practitioner instead of the physician for more common medical conditions. Nurse practitioner is considered an advanced practice nursing specialty, requiring an advanced degree typically a master’s or doctoral degree and training in diagnosing and managing common and complex medical conditions.