Nurse Practitioners are your partners in health

Pamela Egan Practical Practitioner

By: Pamela Egan, FNP-C CDE


Nurse Practitioners are your partners in health

Dear Pam,

What exactly is a Nurse Practitioner? Are you studying to be a nurse?

Thank you for your question. There are still many people out there that don’t know what a Nurse Practitioner is.

A Nurse Practitioner is your partner in health, providing high quality primary, acute and specialty healthcare services similar to those of a physician. Nurse Practitioners are registered nurses with advanced education (master’s degrees) and advanced clinical training, similar to that of a physician.

They bring a unique perspective to health services in that they place emphasis on both care and cure.

Along with clinical services, NPs focus on health promotion, disease prevention, health education and counseling.

Nurse Practitioners guide patients to make smarter health and lifestyle choices.

NPs practice under the rules and regulations of the state in which they are licensed. In Louisiana, NPs are nationally certified in their specialty area.

Nurse Practitioners are recognized as expert healthcare providers. NPs provide healthcare services in all states and in many other countries around the world. NPs can prescribe in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Nurse practitioners provide high-quality, cost-effective healthcare in both rural and urban settings and in facilities such as clinics, hospitals, emergency/urgent care sites, private physician or NP practices, nursing homes, schools and colleges, and public health departments, to name just a few.

From treating illness to advising patients on maintaining a healthy lifestyle, NPs are fully qualified healthcare providers. Patients who are seen by NPs report an extremely high level of satisfaction with the care they receive.

Among their many services, Nurse Practitioners order, perform and interpret diagnostic tests such as lab work and x-rays, diagnose and treat acute and chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, infections and injuries.

They prescribe medications and other treatments and manage a patient’s care.

Instead of just treating the illness, NPs spend time treating the whole person, helping them realize how their decisions affect their health and well-being.

More and more people are choosing Nurse Practitioners as their primary, acute and/or specialty healthcare provider.

In addition to being a top-notch healthcare provider, an NP is your partner in health, delivering a unique blend of nursing and medical care.

NPs assist patients in making better lifestyle and healthcare decisions.

NPs have differentiated themselves from other healthcare providers by focusing on the whole person when treating specific health problems, as well as educating the patient on the effects those problems will have on them and their loved ones.

Nurse Practitioners partner with patients for their health and provide the information necessary to know when early intervention is needed.


This article was originally published October 11, 2004 in The St. Tammany News.

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