November 11th – 17th is National Nurse Practitioners Week! Nurse Practitioners have licensed clinicians who work to prevent disease and manage patients health. NPs specialize with several different types of patients, including children and the elderly, and they also practice in areas such as dermatology and cardiovascular health. They present excellent care to every individual and, as a result, lower the number of ER visits, hospital readmissions, and preventable hospitalizations. NPs are also a more cost-effective alternative to doctors in most situations, because of lower education costs. Nurse Practitioners give acute primary health care, which means they are able to diagnose disease, treat illnesses, and provide health information to their patients. They provide the utmost care and help everyone involved with their work. Remember to thank a Nurse Practitioner today!
Types of Nurse Practitioners
Different Areas of Nurse Practitioners:
- Pediatric
- Adult Care
- Geriatric
- Women’s Health Care
- Neonatal
- Acute Care
- Occupational Health
- Certified Nurse Midwives
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists
Despite the many fields available for Nurse Practitioners, many restraints are still placed upon the full extent NPs can reach in work, experience, and even education. This week, help to raise awareness of this fact and of all the wonderful service they provide.
How to Help
The American Association of Nurse Practitioners presents several ways to support NPs and raise awareness of Nurse Practitioners Week. Even if you can’t participate in any of the ways presented on the website, you can always share this information with others and post it on social media with #NPWeek.
See how much you know about Nurse Practitioners by taking this Fact Quiz.
Sources:
American Association of Nurse Practitioners. (2012-2018). NP Week. Retrieved from: https://www.aanp.org/about/about-the-american-association-of-nurse-practitioners-aanp/media/np-week.
Nurse Practitioner FAQ. What kinds of Nurse Practitioners are there? Retrieved from: http://www.npcentral.net/consumer/npfaq.shtml.