National NP week is a time to celebrate the role of the nurse practitioner (NP). We get to recognize NPs for the outstanding care they provide every day. As an NP, I am proud to represent a profession with a track record of excellence in providing high-quality healthcare services to our patients.
NPs continue to produce high patient satisfaction scores, prevent unnecessary ER visits, minimize hospital readmissions, and reduce preventable hospitalizations. Which is no surprise. I mean, we are part of the most trusted profession in the nation.
Next, to marrying my wife, I can say with 100% confidence that choosing to become a nurse practitioner was one of the best decisions of my life. My level of independence, autonomy and job satisfaction is at an all-time high. My only regret?
Not doing it sooner.
Per the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) press release:
The role of the nurse practitioner (NP) will be showcased November 12 – 18, 2017, as NPs across the country to celebrate more than 50 years of practice during National NP Week. In the United States, this distinguished group of healthcare professionals number approximately 234,000 strong with an additional 23,000 NP students graduating each year.
NP practice offers a unique combination of nursing and health care service to patients. Focusing not only on diagnosing and managing acute and chronic illnesses, NPs integrate health promotion, disease prevention, counseling and patient education to help patients understand their complete health picture.
Some facts about nurse practitioners:
- Nurse practitioners, also known as NPs, are expert clinicians with advanced training who provide primary, acute and specialty health care.
- NPs offer high-quality, cost-effective, patient-centered health care.
- 22 states and the District of Columbia have granted full practice authority to NPs, giving patients more direct access to the primary, acute and specialty care services that NPs provide.
- NPs provide a full range of services, such as ordering, performing and interpreting diagnostic tests; diagnosing and treating acute and chronic conditions; prescribing medications and treatments; and managing overall patient care.
- There are more than 234,000 NPs licensed to practice in America today, providing solutions to the healthcare provider crisis.
- NPs have master’s degrees, and many have doctoral degrees, as well as advanced education and clinical training.
- NPs are licensed and can prescribe medication and other treatments in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
- Patients whose primary care providers are NPs have fewer emergency room visits and shorter hospital stays, resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs.
- Two out of three patients support legislation for greater access to NP services.
- An estimated 23,000 new NPs completed their academic programs in 2015-2016.
- NPs emphasize the health and well-being of the whole person in their approach, including helping patients make educated healthcare decisions and healthy lifestyle choices.
- The confidence patients have in NPs is demonstrated by the more than 1.02 billion visits made to NPs each year.
Source: AANP
Nurse practitioners by the numbers, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (as of May 2016): Occupational Employment and Wages
Please help us bring recognition to the NP role and increase awareness of the exceptional care that NPs provide this week by sharing this blog post. If you see an NP, be sure to thank them. They’ve earned it.
More about the AANP:
The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) is the largest professional membership organization for nurse practitioners (NPs) of all specialties. It represents the interests of more than 234,000 NPs, including approximately 79,000 individual members and 200 organizations. AANP provides legislative leadership at the local, state and national levels, advancing health policy; promoting excellence in practice, education and research; and establishing standards that best serve NP patients and other healthcare consumers. As The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner®, AANP represents the interests of NPs as providers of high-quality, cost-effective, comprehensive, patient-centered health care. For more information, visitaanp.org. To locate an NP in your community, go to npfinder.com.
