A nurse practitioner is someone who studied a nursing program that will provide holistic and preventive approach to help the patient or client in alleviating its sickness, illness or suffering.
What is a Nurse Practitioner?
Nurse Practitioners are registered nurses who have completed additional trainings, specializations and have expanded their roles as RN. They hold a special certificate of trained or specialized are like pediatrics, geriatrics, anesthetists, maternal care or even family health. To become a Nurse Practitioner you need to pass the board exam of a state to gain your license.
Duties of Nurse Practitioner:
- Takes medical histories and diagnosing health problems
- Providing health care and preventive measures such as yearly consultation, and diagnostic tests
- Perform, interpreting laboratory exams
- Providing health counseling and stress debriefing
- Prescribing some medications
- Providing critical care to patients
- Assist or perform minor surgical procedures together with physicians
Conditions of work
Nurse practitioners mostly work in community clinics and other health agency and sectors, Hospitals and hospice care facilities. Some of NPs are working at private clinics for physicians and other departments such as school, and public health departments.
Educational Requirements
In order to become a nurse practitioner, the candidate must complete the education and related learning experiences of a Registered Nurse. She or he must gain the diploma or degree of Bachelor of Science in Nursing or enter various programs to AND-MN/MSN. After, it is required to have special trainings and must pass the board exam provided by the state.
Occupation and Progress
Although not all states are requiring trainings and Masteral degrees but a lot of states are in need of licensed practical nurses. The current proposal for 2015 is that advance nurse practitioners are needed requiring Doctor of Nursing Practice. Nurse practitioners can continue with training for specialty in field of critical care, psychiatric nursing associate, emergency nursing, nurse specialist in pedia, geriatric, obstetric and neonatal and also oncology nursing specialization.