A nurse practitioner (NP) is an advanced
practice nurse. They obtain medical histories, perform physical examinations, diagnose
patients with chronic diseases, treat
and monitor acute and chronic illnesses,
order and interpret lab tests and x-rays, provide health education and disease prevention
information to patients and discuss disease
prevention strategies with the public. Nurse
practitioners also provide prenatal care and
family planning. They prescribe medications
and medical treatments. Collaborating with
physicians and other health care professionals, nurse practitioners help provide
comprehensive health care for the patient.
While they refer patients to physicians when
necessary, nurse practitioners may practice
independently through a written protocol or
document established with their collaborative
physician. Nurse practitioners are also
educators and researchers. They work under
the rules and regulations of the Nurse Practice
Act of the State of Texas.
 Areas of Specialization
Nurse Practitioners can specialize in a
number of areas, including adult health,
family health, geriatric/elder health, pediatrics/child health, psychiatric/mental health,
school/college health, emergency care,
women's health, including perinatal care
and neonatal/newborn infants' health. In
Texas, a nurse practitioner may practice and
prescribe medication without the oversight
of a physician, provided the appropriate
protocols are in place.
Work Environment
Nurse Practitioners can work in diverse settings
including hospitals (inpatient and outpatient
units), health maintenance organizations,
freestanding nurse-run primary care clinics,
private practice offices, extended-care facilities,
home health organizations and schools.
Length of Training
Applicants must have completed a BSN
and MSN as well as hold a RN license prior to
applying to a nurse practitioner program. They
must pass a certification exam conducted by
an appropriate specialty board.
Education Programs
C=Certificate, A=Associate's, B=Bachelor's, M=Master's, D=Doctorate
Professional Associations
American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
www.aanp.org
National Association for Nurse Practitioners
in Women's Health
www.npwh.org
Texas Nurse Practitioners
www.texasnp.org
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