Nurse Practitioner - General Information

Nurse Practitioner writing on a clipboard.

A Nurse Practitioner (NP) is a nurse with a graduate degree in advanced practice nursing. This allows him or her to provide a broad range of healthcare services, including:

  • Taking the patient’s history, performing a physical exam, and ordering appropriate laboratory tests and procedures;

  • Diagnosing, treating, and managing acute and chronic diseases;

  • Providing prescriptions and coordinating referrals; and

  • Promoting healthy activities in collaboration with the patient.

Last Updated: May 2008