Health Care Career Report, Nurse Practitioner
Victoria Crewdson
Health Sciences and Related Studies, MDC
Introduction to Health Care, HSC 0003

Health Care Career Report, Nurse Practitioner
Introduction
Many years ago I chose my studies to begin a career in the medical field. My original goal was to become a Pediatrician. However, at the end of my bachelor’s degree and after many hours spent volunteering at Miami Children’s Hospital, I decided that I wanted a career that would give me more patient provider interaction. I spoke with several doctors, nurses, and other health care providers and decided the best career for me was a Nurse Practitioner. I still have not decided on a specialty but I feel that path will come naturally with time spent in my studies.
Job Description
A nurse practitioner is a registered nurse (RN) who has additional education and training in a specialty area (see Figure 1). Nurse practitioners (also referred to as advanced practice nurses, or APNs) have a master's degree in nursing (MS or MSN) and board certification in their specialty.
Nurse practitioners (NPs) have provided health-care services to patients for more than 40 years. The nurse practitioner role was introduced in the mid-1960s in response to a nationwide shortage of physicians. NPs provide primary and some acute care, and are qualified to meet the majority of patients’ health-care needs. They promote a comprehensive approach to health care and emphasize the overall health and wellness of their patients, including diagnosis, treatment, and consultations. They work independently and collaboratively on the health-care team, and they may work at inpatient or outpatient settings. Generally, nurse practitioners perform the important task of educating patients about preventative care and the prescribed treatments. They may also conduct physicals, order tests and serve as a