Should i be nurse practitioner

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NOTE: Restrictions on nurse practitioners practicing at their full scope exist in some states. The information provided herein is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions.

You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider. Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.

Skip to content Coronavirus information for Landmark patients. Nurse practitioners can often act as the bridge between patients and their care providers or between medical professionals. They serve as an intermediary between a registered nurse and a physician. NPs can also provide the go-between for a physician assistant and a patient, helping the patient better understand a medical process, diagnosis, or care plan.

Nurse practitioners and doctors work hand in hand in office and hospital settings to provide a total care plan. They help each other by providing different pieces to complete the complex puzzle that is modern medicine. In many situations, a nurse practitioner will take an initial patient visit. Together, both experts can create the best possible plan to get the patient back on the right track. Like anything, both individuals will have differing backgrounds, training, and patient experiences that may or may not make them the best possible person to handle your particular health situation.

For tricky diagnoses, consult with both your nurse practitioner and your primary care physician. The U. Establishing a relationship with an experienced nurse practitioner can definitely benefit you in the long run. Oftentimes, patients can get in to see a nurse practitioner quicker than they can schedule a visit with a primary care doctor.

For issues that need urgent attention, book an appointment with an NP. A nurse practitioner can still prescribe your medicine, monitor preexisting conditions, or diagnose illness while the doctor is out. Popular Categories. Popular Topics. Women's Health. Expert Advice. Patient Stories. Make an Appointment.

Schedule a Callback. Call us 24 hours a day. Support Cedars-Sinai. Through their education, they also learn how to lead nursing teams, making them essential to nursing departments. Although RNs can help in reducing the growing skill gap, nurse practitioners can contribute to patient care on a much broader scale. Nurse practitioners are more than just experienced nurses.

They are also certified to provide care to a particular patient population. In some cases, they can be given administrative responsibilities as well. The context of their work varies, depending on their area of expertise, but the following are roles and responsibilities that are consistent for all nurse practitioners:.

Beyond these basic responsibilities, nurse practitioners also have job duties that are specific to their area of specialization. Pediatric nurse practitioners care for children and adolescents. They use their understanding of pediatric biology and childhood health to devise treatment strategies, then use their advanced clinical skills to put them into practice.

In addition to building their clinical skill set, college courses also teach aspiring pediatric nurses about childhood psychology, making it easier to connect and communicate with children, and counsel them towards making healthier life choices. Mental health is receiving an unprecedented level of attention today in the US. As a result, more people than ever are turning to hospitals or other mental health institutions for treatment.

This specialization favors empathetic nurses who are dedicated to helping patients from various backgrounds cope with mental issues that negatively impact their life.

In some instances, the issues may be solved through counseling, or prescribing medication. Nearly half of the states in the US allow psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners to practice with little or no oversight from physicians, meaning the types of services they can independently provide vary depending on location.