What Are Nurse Practitioners

Nurse Practitioners are registered nurses with graduate level training in diagnostic and health assessment skills. Their training allows them to provide basic medical care. They relieve physicians of many time consuming tasks. They perform the following tasks with the direction of a supervising physician: · interview patients, take medical histories, perform physical examinations, order laboratory tests, make tentative diagnoses, and prescribe appropriate treatments. · prescribe medication and medical devices if they have a nurse practitioner certificate. · refer patients to physicians for consultation or to specialized health resources for treatment.