At Community Care Physicians, we are so thankful for all the hard work our NPs do!
We are happy to have NPs seeing patients within many of our offices. If you are looking for a nurse practitioner to help you manage your health, click here to find a caregiver on our website. If you would like assistance locating a new practitioner or need more information, please call our Concierge Care Coordinator at (518) 782-3800.
What is a Nurse Practitioner (NP)?
An NP is specifically trained in the advanced practice of nursing and focuses on managing patients’ health conditions and preventing disease. NPs are also referred to as advanced practice nurses, or APNs. Before they can practice, they must first become a registered nurse and keep their certification in good standing. NPs must also have a master’s degree, as well as board certification in their specialty. NPs often specialize by patient population, including pediatric, family, adult-gerontological, and women’s health. NPs can also subspecialize in areas like dermatology, cardiovascular health, and oncology.
What Does an NP Do?
The duties of an NP will depend on that person’s specialization and the state he or she lives in. NPs can provide primary, acute, and specialty services to patients. They are authorized to diagnose illnesses, treat conditions, and provide health education to their patients. In 20 states, they have full medical authority. However, in New York, NPs must have a medical doctor sign off on certain patient care decisions.
Most NPs maintain working relationships with physicians and consult them when needed. Although physicians have additional training to help treat patients with more complex medical problems, NP training emphasizes disease prevention, reducing health risks, and in-depth patient education. Like physicians, NPs are involved in more than just direct patient care. Often times, they participate in education, research and legislative activities to health improve the overall quality of healthcare.
For more information:
https://www.aanp.org/membership/152-all-about-nps/np-week-tabs/2249-2018-np-week
https://nurse.org/resources/nurse-practitioner/
http://www.communitycare.com/News/Articles/Physician-Assistant-Week