National Nurse Practitioner Week
The role of the nurse practitioner (NP) will be showcased November 12 – 18, 2017, as NPs across the country celebrate more than 50 years of practice during National NP Week. In the United
States, this distinguished group of health care professionals number approximately 234,000 strong with an additional 23,000 NP students graduating each year. Events held in communities around the country will acquaint local citizens with the role of NPs as providers of high-quality, cost-effective, personalized health care and will highlight the value of choosing an NP as your
partner in health. NP practice offers a unique combination of nursing and health care service to patients.
Focusing not only on diagnosing and managing acute and chronic illnesses, NPs integrate health promotion, disease prevention, counseling and patient education to help patients understand their complete health picture.
In a population that is aging, with baby boomers becoming seniors in growing numbers over the next ten years, having choices about health care providers will become even more important. National NP Week brings visibility to the role of the NP, helping consumers make wise choices when selecting their health care provider.
Did you know…
• Nurse practitioners, also known as NPs are expert clinicians with advanced training who provide primary, acute and specialty health care.
• NPs offer high-quality, cost-effective, patient-centered health care.
• 22 states and the District of Columbia have granted full practice authority to NPs, giving patients more direct access to the primary, acute and specialty care services that NPs provide.
• NPs provide a full range of services, such as ordering, performing and interpreting diagnostic tests; diagnosing and treating acute and chronic conditions; prescribing medications and treatments; and managing overall patient care.
• There are more than 234,000 NPs licensed to practice in America today, providing solutions to the health care provider crisis.
• NPs have master’s degrees, and many have doctoral degrees, as well as advanced education and clinical training.
• NPs are licensed and can prescribe medication and other treatments in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
• Patients whose primary care providers are NPs have fewer emergency room visits and shorter hospital stays, resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs.
For more information about Stafford Service, Inc Nurse Practitioners, call 216-898-8488 or email infostaffordservices@lhshealth.com
(source: AANP National Nurse Practitioner Week Resource Guide, http://assets.aanp.org/documents/2017/NPWeekResourceGuide2017.pdf)