A family nurse practitioner is a registered nurse with a master's degree and advanced training to care for patients from the very young to the elderly. Family nurse practitioners work in various environments, including clinics, hospitals and community settings. The numerous roles of the family nurse practitioner are a complex blend of providing the care and support of a nurse with the diagnostics and treatment authority of a physician.
Diagnostician
A family nurse practitioner sees a patient in a health care setting and formulates a diagnosis according to the patient's complaints by taking a health history and performing an examination. The family nurse practitioner may also order lab tests or X-rays, depending on the patient's condition, to make a diagnosis. For example, a middle-age woman may see a family nurse practitioner for feelings of fatigue. Based on her examination of the patient, the nurse practitioner may order lab tests to make a diagnosis, and can then prescribe treatment.
Collaborator
Family nurse practitioners work as fully licensed health care providers and are not under the supervision of a physician. As each family nurse practitioner continues to develop skills and expertise in her care of patients, it is important to collaborate with others about treatment modalities and to get feedback about decisions. Collaboration with other providers, including fellow nurse practitioners or physicians, displays good judgment and is an important aspect of the job.
Treatment Provider
Family nurse practitioners may perform procedures, either with the assistance of a physician or alone. A family nurse practitioner may perform such procedures as giving injections and immunizations, performing skin biopsies, or placing stitches when needed, according to the California State University System. A family nurse practitioner can refer a patient to a specialist for procedures that are outside his scope of practice.
Educator
Family nurse practitioners work as counselors and educators to patients about their health care. A nurse practitioner may teach a young mother how to care for her baby; work with a middle-age man to manage his stress level and high blood pressure; or help an elderly woman with her diet to provide sufficient nutrition. The role of the family nurse practitioner as an educator is important for the primary care of patients and the prevention of many illnesses.
Member Comments