YOU CALL A MEDICAL OFFICE requesting to be seen for a routine health concern and are advised that the next available slot in the doctor’s schedule is two months down the road. You can, however, get in to see a nurse practitioner the very next day. Should you wait for the doctor’s schedule to free up or take the appointment with the nurse practitioner? Would making that choice mean you’re somehow compromising the quality of your care for the sake of convenience?
On the contrary, a nurse practitioner (NP) might just be a perfect fit for your healthcare needs. Here are several reasons:
NPs are highly educated, trained, and qualified According to the website of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (aanp.org), all NPs are required to achieve a graduate-level degree of education (master’s or doctoral degree) and to acquire advanced clinical training beyond that of a registered nurse (RN). They must also undergo rigorous national certification, periodic peer review, and clinical outcome evaluations. Furthermore, they must pursue continued learning and professional development as well as adhere to a code for ethical practices.
NPs provide an expansive list of healthcare services In some states, NPs are allowed to practice independently, while in others they are required to have a supervising physician. Whether working autonomously or in collaboration with other healthcare professionals, NPs can provide a wide range of services, including conducting physical exams, diagnosing and treating acute and chronic health conditions, prescribing medications, counseling and educating patients on disease prevention and lifestyle choices, and much more. NPs also “lead and participate in both professional and lay healthcare forums, conduct research and apply findings to clinical practice,” states aanp.org.
NPs specialize in many areas
According to aanp.org, the many areas in which NPs specialize include acute care, adult health, family health, gerontology, neonatal health, oncology, pediatric/child health, psychiatric/ mental health, and women’s health. The site also provides the following extensive list of subspecialties in which NPs are active: allergy and immunology, cardiovascular, dermatology, emergency, endocrinology, gastroenterology, hematology and oncology, neurology, orthopedics, pulmonary and respiratory, sports medicine, and urology.
Whatever form of specialized healthcare services you seek, you’re likely to encounter NPs hard at work providing expert care.
NPs provide patient-centered care
Patients of NPs quickly discover that their approach to care differs somewhat from the traditional medical model, with its focus on the treatment of disease and management of symptoms. While they have advanced clinical training and share many of the same duties as doctors, NPs are trained to treat the whole patient with an added emphasis on prevention, education and counseling, and the promotion of healthy lifestyle habits.
This proactive approach promotes better overall patient health, reduces patients’ dependence on healthcare services, and helps lower out-ofpocket medical expenses. As the AANP reports, “patients who see NPs as their primary care provider often have fewer emergency room visits, shorter hospital stays, and lower medication costs.”
Considering this blending of clinical expertise and comprehensive, patient-centric care, perhaps it’s not surprising that millions of Americans see NPs each year and report a very high degree of satisfaction with their experiences. ✲
