What is an NP?

Simply put, a Nurse Practitioner is a different kind of doctor.  They go through years of medical training, just like doctors.  They can specialize, just like doctors. They can admit & discharge patients from hospitals, just like doctors.  They can collect reimbursements from your insurance, just like doctors. They can even perform surgery, just like doctors.  

All Nurse Practitioners must be nurses first. After earning a bachelor’s degree, Nurse Practitioners go through a 3 medical training master’s program.  They are then eligible to obtain a doctorate in nursing practice – the DNP.  All Nurse Practitioners must be board certified in their individual specialty, just like doctors.  What sets Nurse Practitioners apart from other healthcare providers is their unique emphasis on the health and well-being of the whole person.  With a focus on health promotion, disease prevention, health education, and health counseling, Nurse Practitioners guide patients in making smarter health and lifestyle choices, which in turn can lower patients’ out-of-pocket costs.  Nurse Practitioners have been a critical means of lowering healthcare costs in the current American Healthcare System.

Nurse Practitioners have rapidly become the healthcare provider of choice for millions of Americans. Having been nurses first, they have a unique ability to blend clinical expertise in diagnosing and treating health conditions with an added emphasis on disease prevention and health management, all with an added level of empathy and compassion most patients don’t get from their doctors.  Nurse Practitioners bring a comprehensive perspective to healthcare. Currently, Americans make over 1 billion visits to Nurse Practitioners every year.

Find out why – schedule your appointment today!