Who is a nurse practitioner? What services do they provide?
A nurse practitioner or NP is a licensed healthcare provider who works in various settings such as hospitals, private clinics, emergency rooms, rehabilitation centers, public health centers, urgent care centers (UCC), schools, and nursing homes. Nurse practitioners are not doctors of medicine (MDs). However, they work with a team of physicians, surgeons, and technicians to provide comprehensive patient care. NPs belong to the category of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN), which has a variety of duties and responsibilities depending on their specialty and workplace.
Here are some general duties that nurse practitioners perform:
- Gather and record a patient's medical history.
- Diagnose and treat minor injuries and illnesses.
- Assist physicians and surgeons.
- Prescribe medications.
- Teach patients and families about postoperative care or patient care in general.
- Provide emotional support to patients and families.
- Recommend diagnostic tests such as X-rays.
- Take rounds and check on the patient's vitals whenever necessary.
- Design and manage a patient's treatment plan.
How is a registered nurse different from a nurse practitioner?
While registered nurses and nurse practitioners have similar duties that focus on patient observation and care, they differ in education and the range of services they can provide. Unlike nurse practitioners, registered nurses cannot prescribe treatments, diagnose diseases, or perform tests, which are responsibilities that physicians assume. Nurse practitioners in some states can act as primary caregivers without the oversight of a physician. Registered nurses generally work under physician supervision, where the physician is primarily responsible for a patient's diagnosis and treatment.
You will also find that both nurse practitioners and registered nurses often work in the same inpatient and outpatient settings. These include hospitals, urgent care centers, ambulatory healthcare services, schools, long-term care facilities, phone triage lines, and community health centers.
Registered nurses must complete an advanced degree to become nurse practitioners, allowing them greater autonomy and responsibility in the nursing profession. To obtain state licensure, a registered nurse must complete a bachelor's degree, i.e., Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), and pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) required by all fifty states.
On the other hand, NPs typically have a master's degree, i.e., a master of nursing science or doctor of nursing practice degree. Further, NPs also get licensed by a specialty nursing board such as the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) or the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
RNs and NPs also work in a variety of specialties. The difference is that nurse practitioners choose their specialization based on population, such as family, women's health, neonatal, and pediatric. They can further sub-specialize in cardiology, neurology, and oncology. Registered nurses specialize in labor and delivery, postpartum care, corporate health, emergency medicine, and critical care.
Nurse practitioner subspecialties
Nurse practitioners specialize in different medical specialties, such as cardiology, neurology, and oncology. To give you a fair understanding, here are the common nurse practitioner subspecialties:
- Cardiology nurse practitioner: This is generally an adult-gerontology nurse practitioner (A-GNP) or family nurse practitioner (FNP) who services people with cardiovascular diseases in inpatient and outpatient settings. Cardiac NPs analyze a patient's risk of heart disease, assist with catheterization, insert central venous and arterial catheters, and monitor postoperative cardiac patients.
- Neurology nurse practitioners specialize in treating diseases and injuries of the spinal cord, brain, muscular, and nervous systems. Neurology NPs treat common diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), stroke, low back pain (LBP), Alzheimer's, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's. In rehabilitation centers, neurology NPs complete patient rounds, perform lumbar punctures, and prescribe medication.
- Oncology nurse practitioners evaluate patients with different types of cancer. They are part of a multidisciplinary team of healthcare providers and work with patient families to devise optimal care plans for cancer patients. They may also perform biopsies and minor surgical procedures, participate in cancer research, and administer chemotherapy.
- Dermatology-certified nurse practitioners provide preventive care and education on skin health. They assess and treat people with common skin issues such as eczema and acne and complex diseases like bullous disease or cutaneous lymphoma.
- Psychiatric nurse practitioners offer mental health services to families, children, and adults. They may also treat individuals with specific mental health conditions or disorders, including substance use.
- Family nurse practitioners provide healthcare throughout people's lifetimes, forming a long-term relationship between both parties. It helps better understand and treat patients' conditions and medical struggles. Several nurse practitioners also work as primary care providers in some states.
- Pediatric nurse practitioners: As the term suggests, pediatric nurse practitioners provide healthcare services to children from infants to adults. They diagnose and manage both short—and long-term diseases and issues. They also administer vaccines and carry out comprehensive check-ups.
- Neonatal nurse practitioners tend to the needs of sick or premature babies. They are qualified to diagnose illnesses and provide treatment. Sometimes, they also assist in childbirth in various settings, like hospitals.
- Acute care nurse practitioners provide medical attention to adults in acute care settings. In other words, they see people with severe injuries or illnesses requiring short-term treatment. They could also help you recover from a surgical procedure or an experienced trauma.
- Emergency nurse practitioners work in emergency departments. They act as healthcare providers to people needing urgent care. They can decide which patient needs and should get immediate medical attention. They also make important treatment decisions and keep tabs on patients' health.
- Adult-gerontology nurse practitioners offer healthcare to adults of all ages and assist them in managing their chronic health issues and conditions.
- Women's health nurse practitioners provide reproductive, gynecological, or obstetric services to women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB).
- Orthopedic nurse practitioners: Patients who suffer from musculoskeletal problems receive medical treatment from an orthopedic nurse practitioner. These might include ailments and injuries affecting the muscles, bones, joints, and connective tissue.
- Aesthetic nurse practitioners are experts in providing medical services to people undergoing cosmetic procedures. They conduct physical examinations, advise patients on surgical treatment, perform cosmetic operations, and tend to patients as they recover.
What is the importance of nurse practitioners in the healthcare system?
Nurse practitioners extend beyond their roles as healthcare providers; they serve as mentors, educators, researchers, and administrators. Active engagement in professional organizations and involvement in local, state, national, and international health policy activities contribute to advancing the NP's role and ensuring the maintenance of professional standards.
- Reduced healthcare expenditure: NPs can reduce patient healthcare costs by delivering top-notch care and counseling. According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), individuals who choose NPs as their primary care providers often experience fewer emergency room visits, shorter hospital stays, and reduced medication expenses.
- Enhanced patient satisfaction: AANP reports that with over 1.06 billion visits to NPs annually, patients consistently express high satisfaction with their care.
- Addressing the primary care shortage: AANP states that by providing high-quality, cost-effective, and patient-centered healthcare, NPs present more than 385,000 solutions to the prevalent primary care shortage in America today.
You can easily access these benefits by seeing a nurse practitioner near you. Whether you seek mentorship, quality healthcare, or solutions to address the primary care shortage, the expertise of a nurse practitioner in your local community can make a vital difference in your holistic well-being.
How do you prepare for your first nurse practitioner appointment?
If you are visiting a nurse practitioner for the first time, you may have various questions: What should I carry to the appointment? What will the nurse practitioner ask me? You can find answers to these and other related questions in the preparation guide below:
- Record your concerns: The nurse practitioner will begin the discussion by asking about the reasons for your visit. Writing down your concerns in the order of priority is a good idea for effective communication with the provider. For example, you may want to address your chronic foot pain, discuss lifestyle changes for diabetes management, and know if your vaccinations are up-to-date. You can bring up the most critical concerns and then discuss the remaining ones.
- Carry your medical records: During your first appointment, the nurse practitioner will want to know about your health history. Bring information about your health conditions, allergies, injuries, surgeries, and medications (prescription, over-the-counter, supplements). You can also take recent lab work, X-rays, or other medical records for their reference.
- Know your lifestyle and diet: Your nurse practitioner may discuss your lifestyle and diet. You can prepare answers for expected questions such as: What is your everyday diet? How is your sleep quality? Do you drink alcohol or smoke? Give them as much detail as possible to help them arrive at an accurate diagnosis and formulate an appropriate treatment plan.
- Gather important documents: To complete the initial onboarding process, carry your photo ID, insurance card, and details of other doctors on your healthcare team.
Tips to take care of your general health
In 2024, embark on a journey to enhance your overall well-being through meaningful yet manageable lifestyle adjustments.
- Nutrition and informed choices: Gradually reduce the intake of high-salt, high-sugar, saturated fats, and trans-fatty acids. Making informed choices, such as water over sugary beverages, can significantly impact your daily nutrition.
- Harmful habits awareness: Take a critical look at destructive habits affecting your health. Limit alcohol consumption to mitigate risks associated with over 200 diseases and injuries.
- Sexual health prioritization: Understand that sexual health is integral to a holistic approach. Emphasize the importance of explicit consent in sexual activities. Promote safe sexual practices, such as the use of condoms, to prevent sexually transmitted infections, unplanned pregnancies, and HIV.
- Commitment to holistic health: Recognize that embracing these steps is a commitment to a healthier and more fulfilling life. Focusing on preventive strategies and proactive health management by visiting an adept nurse practitioner near you whenever you face health issues will pave the way for a holistic and sustained approach to well-being.
- Mental health and social connections: Combat the severe health risk of loneliness by fostering meaningful social connections. Whether face-to-face or through digital interactions, maintain contact with friends and family.
- Regular check-ups: Stay proactive in monitoring your health by scheduling regular, yearly check-ups with your health provider. Regular visits enable blood pressure monitoring and essential screenings for timely detection of potential health issues.
Finding the best nurse practitioners near you in Cincinnati, Ohio
If you suffer from a minor injury or disease, choose a nurse practitioner as your primary care provider. Nurse practitioners follow a holistic approach to health care, treating diseases and managing a patient's health. The care given by NPs is also cost-effective compared to physicians.
Are you looking for experienced nurse practitioners in Cincinnati, Ohio? You can use Zocdoc's integrative platform to search for the nearest nurse practitioner from your home. Visit the Zocdoc website and enter your condition or symptoms, location, and insurance plan. Click on "find" and browse the list of top-rated nurse practitioners in your area and book a virtual or in-person consultation based on the provider's available time slots.
You can further filter your search by gender, distance, time of day, hospital affiliation, language, and whether the provider treats children or not. Zocdoc allows users to schedule appointments on the same day, in advance, after work hours (5 pm), or even on weekends, depending on the provider's availability.
Zocdoc wants all users to have the best care possible and provides each healthcare professional's comprehensive educational background, including their medical experience, accreditations, affiliations, awards, areas of expertise, and licensure. To help users make better decisions, Zocdoc also allows you to go through verified patient reviews and ratings. Further, to check whether your provider is in-network, i.e., whether they accept your insurance, enter your insurance carrier and plan in the drop-down menu at the top of the page. Zocdoc makes locating the best nurse practitioner near you easier and hassle-free!
If you do not have insurance coverage, you can select the "I'm paying for myself" option in the search bar, acknowledging you are ready to bear out-of-pocket expenses. This way, you will match with providers who accept patients without a health plan. For more insurance-related information, go through the Zocdoc patient help center page.
All Zocdoc bookings are secure, accessible, and quick.
Statistics for nurse practitioners in Ohio
As per the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Ohio employs nearly 10,730 nurse practitioners and 130,370 registered nurses (May 2022). Over 5910 registered nurses are employed in the North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area, which has one of the highest rates of registered nurse employment in any nonmetropolitan area.
In 2020, the Ohio Board of Nursing recognized the need to increase the nursing workforce to respond to the COVID-19 emergency. The number of licenses issued from March 1st, 2020, to June 30th, 2020, was much higher than the previous year. Around 16,628 licenses were issued in 2020, 4,546 more than in 2019. By June 2020, 5,468 temporary permits were issued based on HB 197, which authorized the Board to suspend the law requiring an applicant to pass the NCLEX(National Council Licensure Examination) examination during the COVID-19 emergency.
According to the Ohio Board of Nursing's Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report, Ohio had 26,690 active Certified Nurse Practitioner licenses in fiscal year 2025. The state also had 3,955 Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist licenses, 574 Certified Nurse Midwife licenses, and 945 Certified Nurse Specialist licenses.
The National Center for Biotechnology Information report on Ohio nurse practitioners' childhood obesity preventive practice patterns found that Ohio NPs with higher physical activity levels would likely provide frequent assessment and counseling on a healthy diet and physical activities. Referrals to specialists and weight tracking were less frequent regardless of physical activity.
Sources
Healthline
Gwynedd Mercy University
NursingProcess.org[1]
NursingProcess.org[2]
NursingProcess.org[3]
The Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University
Dermatology Nurses' Association
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
PubMed
Cleveland Clinic
World Health Organization
American Association of Nurse Practitioners
National Institute on Aging
