Advanced practice registered nurses, or APRNs, are certified nurse practitioners coordinating patient care while managing primary and specialized healthcare. While their responsibilities vary depending on their practice level, they usually include diagnosing health issues, reviewing and changing a patient's treatment plan, and providing medications.
Nurse practitioners have more responsibility than registered nurses. They can research and train nurses and staff, and nurse practitioners fill the U.S. primary care gap, ultimately reducing patient costs.
Nurse practitioner vs. registered nurse: what's the difference?
Unlike nurse practitioners, registered nurses can only assist in coordinating the provision of patient care in a medical setting and are not permitted to prescribe treatments, order tests, and diagnose patients. Their responsibilities involve:
- Evaluating and watching the patient
- Noting their medical history and symptoms
- Administering medications
- Assisting in treatments
- Setting up care for new and existing patients
Additionally, they can help perform and analyze numerous diagnostic procedures and operate medical equipment. In some circumstances, they collaborate with patients' families to effectively plan approaches to manage diseases or recover from injuries.
Although some registered nurses can supervise nursing assistants' work, these nurses frequently collaborate with doctors and other healthcare professionals. Furthermore, they also work in medical specialties like cardiology, neonatal, or critical care. As a result, registered nurses may be able to focus their care even more specifically on providing hospice care for the elderly or treating cancer-afflicted children.
Beyond their initial professional registered nurse qualification, all nurse practitioners must complete further clinical training and a master's or doctoral degree program. Their training and experiences equip them with the knowledge and clinical proficiency required to work in acute care, primary care, and long-term healthcare settings.
Nurse practitioners then undergo national certification, regular peer review, and clinical outcome evaluations. They abide by a code of ethical practices and guarantee the most excellent quality of service. Continuing professional development and self-directed learning are also crucial to maintaining clinical competency. To ensure quality healthcare and improve clinical outcomes, nurse practitioners also take the initiative to join professional and public healthcare forums, conduct research, and use the results in practice.
What are the different nurse practitioners' specialties?
Nurse practitioners can undergo further training and gain expertise in various nurse practitioner specialties. A few of those specialties include the following:
- Family nurse practitioners: Family nurse practitioners' roles are diverse and flexible. They provide preventive and primary care to patients with acute or chronic conditions across their lifespan. They can also perform well-child and well-woman exams and routine physical examinations for adults.
- Acute care nurse practitioners: They specialize in caring for patients with acute conditions. They assess, diagnose, and treat ailments and evaluate the patient's response to treatment.
- Emergency room nurse practitioners: E.R. nurses specialize in quickly stabilizing patients and diagnosing emergent or acute conditions. They care for patients suffering from traumatic injuries, infectious diseases, heart attacks, and psychotic disorders. They also perform sutures, prescribe medications, and coordinate follow-ups.
- Adult-gerontology nurse practitioners: These nurses focus on providing care to adults and older adults suffering from acute or chronic conditions. They develop long-term, trustworthy relationships with the patient to ensure optimal care.
- Aesthetic nurse practitioners: These are also called cosmetic nurse practitioners and can provide aesthetic medical care. They work in dermatology or plastic surgery departments in hospitals or specialty clinics and focus on providing care to patients who undergo aesthetic or cosmetic treatments.
- Neonatal nurse practitioners: They focus on caring for newborn babies or infants requiring specialized medical care. They deal with premature babies and newborn babies with illnesses or infections. They provide care to infants in the first 28 days after birth.
- Forensic nurse practitioners: Their scope of work combines healthcare and law. Forensic nurse practitioners focus on collecting physical evidence from sexual assault victims and providing care. They provide trauma care and support violent crime survivors. They can also act as witnesses in a court of law.
- Hospice nurse practitioners: They mainly specialize in providing end-of-life care. They optimize patient comfort during the final stages of life and offer a peaceful environment to die with dignity. They often work in a team to support the patient and the family.
What services do nurse practitioners provide?
Following are a few of the services that a nurse practitioner near you may offer:
- Evaluate a patient's medical background and instruct them on how to avoid diseases and stay healthy.
- Offer standard and preventive healthcare treatments, such as vaccinations, physical examinations, pelvic exams, birth control advice, and STD (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) tests.
- Order, analyze, and prescribe drugs based on imaging and laboratory testing results.
- Diagnose and cure injuries, infections, and other acute diseases and disorders.
- Screen, treat, and keep track of chronic health issues, including high blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid problems, heart problems, and depression.
- Carry out cancer screenings, such as pap tests, skin exams, and thyroid examinations.
- Conduct minor procedures, such as mending cuts and removing foreign objects.
- Collaborate closely with other medical professionals to deliver the best care seamlessly for patients.
Importance of nurse practitioners in healthcare
Here are the top reasons why nurse practitioners are so important in healthcare.
- They educate the patient: Nurse practitioners inform people about their disease while providing care. It helps people better understand their illness and be more receptive to treatment. They provide information about symptoms, diagnosis, medicines, treatment plans, and preventive measures. They aim to educate the masses on the importance of healthy living, resulting in decreased emergency hospitalizations and improved health outcomes.
- They provide care to underserved areas: Nurse practitioners provide care to people living in underserved areas. These could include rural and urban areas with limited or no access to proper healthcare due to a shortage of providers. They form the crucial link between such people and the healthcare system and help address health disparities. Nurse practitioners can increase people's access to care via telehealth or in person, resulting in positive health outcomes.
- They undertake a holistic approach to care: Nurse practitioners provide individual attention to each patient. During treatment, they also focus on the patient's emotional, mental, and spiritual health and help them regain optimal health post-treatment. They even refer the patient to a specialist doctor for further treatment. Nurse practitioners also ensure the involvement of the patient's family in their care, as permitted by the patient. This can provide overarching support to the patient and improve their recovery process.
- They fill up for physician shortage: The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the most profound disparities in healthcare access and highlighted the healthcare system's vulnerabilities. According to the 2021 data by the Association of American Medical Colleges, by 2034, the physician shortage in the United States could reach between 37,800 and 124,000 physicians. This figure includes both primary and specialty care and is a significant increase. Nurse practitioners can help fill this gap and ensure healthcare reaches the masses. They can practice independently in some states or work with physicians to deliver quality care to the underserved.
When should one see a nurse practitioner?
It would be best to visit a nurse practitioner regularly to check your general health and disease risk factors. In addition, you should also think about contacting them for treatment if you experience any of the following:
- Severe or persistent discomfort
- Digestive issues, such as vomiting, diarrhea, blood in the feces, or constipation for more than a few days
- High-risk sexual habits, such as having several sexual partners, not using condoms, excessive alcohol consumption, drug usage, and use of illegal substances
- Fever, body aches, and other flu-like symptoms, like a sore throat
- Frequent headaches or headaches along with other symptoms like fever and coughing
- High fever
- Mild allergy symptoms include sneezing, runny nose, and skin rashes.
- Mild wheezing or breathlessness
- Minor wounds that are not treatable at home with bandages and antibacterial cream
- Weakness or tiredness without cause
- Unusual emotional issues such as anxiety, stress, melancholy, or depression
- Painful or frequent urination
Should you see a nurse practitioner or a doctor?
Choosing between a nurse practitioner and a doctor can be challenging because of the differences in expertise, regulations, and subspecialties. Doctors are the preferred choice for managing chronic illnesses and their complications, as they have extensive training and can develop long-term treatment plans.
Nurse practitioners have a more limited scope and are best suited for treating minor ailments, providing vaccinations, and conducting routine check-ups. Since chronic disease management requires specialized knowledge, some nurse practitioners pursue further education to become doctors.
Nurse practitioners typically refer patients to a primary care doctor if a condition falls outside their expertise.
Here are some tips for maintaining good health
Adopting a healthy lifestyle can greatly benefit your overall well-being. Here are some key healthcare tips to help you stay in good shape:
- Regular exercise: Just 30 minutes of physical exercise every day, such as running, yoga, dancing, or sports, can aid you to maintain a healthy weight and boost overall fitness.
- Balanced diet: Incorporate a variety of vegetables, whole grains, fruits into your meals while minimizing processed, salty, and sugary foods.
- Avoid smoking & limit alcohol consumption: Quitting smoking/reducing alcohol intake can reduce heart disease, cancer, and other serious health conditions' risk.
- Routine check-ups & vaccinations: Keep up with vaccinations and schedule regular health screenings to detect and manage potential health issues early. Nurse practitioners can provide both preventive care and treatment.
- Sun protection: Apply sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher) and wear sunglasses with at least 99% UV protection to reduce exposure to harmful UV rays and lower the risk of skin cancer.
- Mental well-being: Prioritize emotional health and seek professional help if you experience persistent sadness, anxiety, or distress.
- Good hygiene practices: Wash hands frequently, cover your mouth and nose when coughing/sneezing, and avoid close contact with sick individuals to prevent infections.
These are general health guidelines. For personalized advice, consult a healthcare professional.
Finding the best nurse practitioner in Las Vegas, Nevada
Finding a reliable and experienced nurse practitioner can prove challenging. Zocdoc's user-friendly interface allows you to locate some of the best nurse practitioners near you with a few clicks.
You can begin a search on Zocdoc by entering your symptoms or location. You will receive a list of practitioners matching your criteria. You can browse each listed professional's unique profile for essential details, such as their educational background, licensure, experience, specializations, achievements, certifications, rankings, language proficiency, testing capabilities, insurance plans accepted, etc.
If you want to know your insurance plan, upload an image of your insurance card to your Zocdoc account, and we will find and display information regarding it (this facility is not available for vision or dental plans). You can also check out Zocdoc's patient help center for more information and solutions related to insurance.
After narrowing down your options, you can access verified reviews from previous patients to better understand their practice and services. Once you have chosen the best nurse practitioner according to your needs and requirements, Zocdoc will help you instantly schedule an in-person or online consultation based on their availability.
Booking appointments with nurse practitioners near you on Zocdoc is easy, free, and secure!
Nurse practitioner statistics for Nevada
Nurse practitioners provide healthcare to patients throughout the United States, and Americans visit them more than about 1.06 billion times annually. According to the May 2021 report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the USA had approximately 234,690 active nurse practitioners. Of these, around 1,760 were from Nevada.
In light of the physician shortage, nurse practitioner employment is multiplying, and their number could rise in the coming years. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 52% increase in new jobs between 2020 and 2030.
Nurse practitioners can be crucial in managing chronic diseases and providing care to patients suffering from them to reduce their torment. According to America's Health Rankings data for 2021, approximately 10.2% of adults in Nevada had three or more chronic health conditions, including arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, cardiovascular disease (heart disease, heart attack, or stroke), chronic kidney disease, cancer (excluding skin), depression and diabetes. This number was more than the national average of 9.6%. It also showed that the prevalence of multiple chronic diseases was higher amongst the state's female population, with around 12.7% suffering from them compared to only 7.7% of males.
Sources
University of North Dakota
American Association of Nurse Practitioners
Healthgrades
Nursing Process[1]
Nursing Process[2]
Nursing Process[3]
Nursing Process[4]
Association of American Medical Colleges
Nevada State Board of Nursing
America’s Health Rankings
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Cedars Sinai
UCSF HEALTH
