Nursing School Guide

A Nurse Practitioner is a registered nurse with advanced education and clinical training within a specialty area. Educational requirements to become a nurse practitioner require a BSN (Bachelors of Science in Nursing), followed by additional training, sometimes requiring a Masters in Nursing. A nurse practitioner focuses on providing primary care to patients and is often first in line to diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries. There are numerous specialties for nurse practitioners, including Family Health, Geriatric Health, Adult Health, Pediatrics, Psychiatric Mental Health, Acute Care, and Women's Health.

These nurses Nurse practitioners have the right to prescribe certain medications, with licensing and privileges varying by state. With increasing specialization nurse practitioners take on some secondary care responsibilities, including anesthesiology (certified registered nurse anesthetists), midwifery (certified nurse-midwives), and certain other clinical responsibilities (clinical nurse specialists).