[1][2] NPs are trained to assess patient needs, order and interpret diagnostic and laboratory tests, diagnose disease, prescribe medications and formulate treatment plans.
[6] The present-day concept of advanced practice nursing as a primary care provider was created in the mid-1960s, spurred on by a national shortage of physicians.
[7] The first formal graduate certificate program for NPs was created by Henry Silver, a physician, and Loretta Ford, a nurse, in 1965.
[7] In 1971, the U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, Elliot Richardson, made a formal recommendation for expanding the scope of nursing practice to be able to serve as primary care providers.
[citation needed] Each clinical course has specific requirements that vary depending on the program's degree or eligibility for certification.
These settings include the ambulatory, inpatient, or emergency departments of hospitals, health clinics, and office practices, whether private or nurse-run.
In addition, they deliver care in schools and on college campuses, as well as in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
As a nurse practitioner, they can complete advanced health assessments, diagnose and treat diseases, order diagnostic testing such as imaging and pathology, and prescribe medications and therapeutics.
[27] To claim Medicare rebates, the NP must also be in a documented "Collaborative Practice Arrangement" with a medical practitioner and the episode of care approved by a doctor.
[30] In Ireland's publicly funded healthcare system, the Health Service Executive has the advanced nurse practitioner (ANP) grade.
[5][34] Autonomous practice was introduced in the 1980s, mostly in states facing a physician shortage or that struggled to find enough healthcare providers to work in rural areas.
[35] The extent of this collaborative agreement and the roles, duties, responsibilities, nursing treatments, and pharmacologic recommendations again vary widely between states.
Endorsement as a nurse practitioner in either Australia or New Zealand is recognised by both countries as part of the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Scheme.
The RN must also complete an approved nurse practitioner postgraduate master's degree or demonstrate they have gained qualifications to an equivalent level in advanced health assessment, pharmacology, therapeutics, diagnostics, and research.
All educational programs for NPs must achieve formal approval by provincial and territorial regulating nurse agencies due to the fact that the NP is considered a legislated role in Canada.
[11] The salary of an NP generally depends on the area of specialization, location, years of experience, and level of education.
[44] The pandemic expanded the scope of practice for nurse practitioners in some countries as a result of temporary legislative policy adjustments.
[45] In the US, the Trump administration waived many requirements for nurse practitioners, permitting NPs to utilize their abilities to the fullest extent in some cases.