Jumat, 04 November 2011

Important Things You Need To Understand About Becoming A Nurse Practitioner

By Ellisa Hunter


You may be asking what is a nurse practitioner, what do they do and why you would want to take a look at this career. They are registered nurse men and women who have gone through extensive training and graduate level higher education. After earning registered nurse status, they then go back to school and work toward a doctorate or graduate degree in a specialized area.

These people are found in all parts of the medical system, within both private and public clinics, schools, prisons, nursing facilities, hospitals, as well as several other places. State laws vary, therefore, depending on geography, they are able to work on an independent basis or along side a licensed physician.

Several of the things they can do may come as a surprise like writing prescriptions, order and interpret diagnostic tests, administer treatment for medical conditions, and take care of checkups and wellness examinations. They do many of the things on a daily basis that a doctor does.

They can be found in many specialties and fields. You will find them in the pediatric field, general family practice, geriatrics, throughout the mental health field, including several additional areas of the industry. There are generally no limits on the age of patients that they can treat. All practitioners train and practice within a specialized area. Based on their specialty, they become board certified in their respective states.

As a midwife, and as such, they will perform the functions of obstetricians and gynecologist during pregnancies. They are completely capable to deal with prenatal, delivery and maternity care alike. They are not able to perform cesarean deliveries, but they will assist the physician. They will however handle pap smears and examinations. They typically will not take on high risk patient situations, however, there are exceptions based on their experience and relationship with the attending physician.

Another popular field is that of nurse anesthetist. They typically work with an anesthesiologist. They are able to administer an anesthesia for procedures and to minimize pain. They can determine the need for anesthesia, what the risks are to the patient and then administer the proper dosage.

Every state makes their own rules as it relates to how practitioners can practice. This varies from state to state, so what can be done in one state may not be legal in another state. The big variables are the medications being prescribed and the type of procedures that require a physician present. Any practitioner must become licensed in any state they wish to practice. Most of the state only require a small fee to transfer your license from another state.

Everyone has their own path to a medical career. Certain people chose to go directly to medical school and become a doctor, others chose nursing, the decide to become a practitioner. Hopefully you can see what makes this segment of the profession so appealing, all practitioners started as nurses and learn the essentials of patient care before prescribing treatment. They observe a holistic technique, and treat all aspects of a patient, from the physical, emotional and psychological aspects. These are just a few of the reasons that make being a Nurse Practitioner great.




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