A nurse practitioner (NP) is a nurse with a graduate-level degree of education. Additional training, skills, and experience in advanced practice nursing give NPs the authority to do more than registered nurses. They can perform many of the same services that doctors provide.
NPs provide patient-centered care. They focus on disease prevention, living a healthy lifestyle, and understanding your health concerns. An NP can serve as a primary care provider or as a specialty care provider focusing on a specific group of people.
To be recognized as expert health care providers and ensure the highest quality of care, NPs undergo rigorous national certification, periodic peer review, clinical outcome evaluations, and adhere to a code for ethical practices. Self-directed continued learning and professional development is also essential to maintaining clinical competency.
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