Nurse Practitioner's (NP's) are registered nurses who have obtained additional education and clinical experiences. This education and training allows NP's to provide primary health care, health promotion, and maintenance through the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic conditions. 

 

Among their many services, NP's can order and interpret diagnostic tests such as blood work, ultrasounds and x-rays. NP's diagnose and treat acute conditions such as infections and minor injuries, and chronic conditions such as diabetes, COPD and high blood pressure. NP's can prescribe medications and other treatments and can refer to specialists as needed. NP's can work completely independently of physicians, although they often work in collaboration.

 

Services are provided in communities and in a variety of settings. 

 

In summary, NP's can:

• Complete a comprehensive health history and assessment;

• Formulate and communicate a diagnosis, taking a differential diagnosis into consideration;

• Prescribe all medications including controlled drugs and substances;

• Dispense, sell, and compound medications;

• Set and cast fractures and dislocated joints;

• Order and interpret all laboratory tests;

• Admit, treat and discharge patients from hospitals; and

• Order some diagnostic imaging tests (CNO, 2016)

• Complete many medical forms

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please see the following links for more information...

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NPAO- What is a Nurse Practitioner?

 

https://npao.org/about-npao/what-is-a-np/

 

 

CNO Nurse Practitioner Practice Standard:

 

https://www.cno.org/globalassets/docs/prac/41038_strdrnec.pdf