Doctors and Nurse Practitioners
Who are Nurse Practitioners?
Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are registered nurses with advanced knowledge, skills and a Master’s degree in Nursing. NPs bring a unique perspective to health services in that they place emphasis on both care and cure.
NPS work closely with clients, families and other health professionals to address complex health needs and manage acute and chronic illnesses, within a holistic model of care. They engage communities in the development, implementation and evaluation of health programs and healthy public policy.
What do Nurse Practitioners do?
- Diagnose and treat acute and chronic illnesses, disorders and injuries
- Order X-rays, scans and ultrasounds
- Order and interpret laboratory and other diagnostic tests
- Communicate diagnoses to clients and other health professionals
- Initially prescribe and re-order medications
- Perform specified procedures (invasive/non-invasive)
- Refer clients to other health professionals
Health Promotion and Illness Prevention
Nurse Practitioners play a pivotal role in their communities, as educators and facilitators in health promotion, and illness/injury prevention.
Nurse Practitioners
- Provide proactive guidance appropriate to their age, health status and culture
- Foster learning environments that maximize patient autonomy and self management
- Build on community resources in planning health promotion and illness prevention strategies
- Collaborate with other members of the interdisciplinary team in assessing trends that impact health in their communities
- Improve access to services to meet healthcare goals
Where do Nurse Practitioners work?
How are NPs funded?
Find Out More About Nurse Practitioners!
Visit the College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia at www.crnbc.ca
British Columbia Nurse Practitioner Association (BCNPA) website to “find an NP” near you at www.bcnpa.org