Defining a nurse practitioner
In brief, a Nurse Practitioner (NP) is a healthcare provider with the ability to see patients both in collaboration with doctors or in a solo setting. The NP provides the same in-office healthcare services as your internal medicine physician, including
diagnosing and treating acute conditions;
ordering, performing and reading lab results/x-rays;
prescribing medications;
counseling on healthcare concerns; and
providing disease prevention education.
Drawing from nursing philosophy, nurse practitioners emphasize longterm overall health of patients, helping patients lead more healthy lives and make better choices. As healthcare costs continue to rise, nurse practitioners become an increasingly popular provider choice to keep costs manageable. The American Association of Nurse Practitioners reports over 870 million visits to Nurse practitioners each year, and boasts a high satisfaction level among patients.
Differences between a Nurse Practitioner and Physician’s Assistant
Both nurse practitioners and physicians assistants provide care to patients, but Nurse Practitioners follow the nursing philosophy of preventative and acute care for the longterm health of the patients, while physician assistants study specifically the treatment and diagnosis of the patient's current condition. NPs tend to have extensive experience as a nurse before becoming a NP as well as several years of formal education, and a masters or doctorate. Nurse practitioners are able to see patients without the oversight of a physician, but often team with physician teams to provide more comprehensive care for patients. PAs are physician extenders, serving specific roles of diagnosis & treatment, under the direct supervision of a physician.
We added a NP to the Florida Internal Medicine Team: More healthcare providers for timely patient care
Florida Internal Medicine welcomed Nurse Practitioner Nicole Rodriguez, MSN, ARNP, FNP-C, to our healthcare team in early 2019. The doctors and staff are thrilled to add a practitioner to our group to expand our ability to care for new patients and current patients and add a focus for health improvement and prevention.
Dr. Davis and I haven’t accepted new patients in several years and are often booked several months out for patient appointments. We are excited to alleviate these roadblocks by offering Nicole’s services as part of our team. Our current patients, and Nicole’s new patients will benefit from Nicole’s extensive experience. She has the opportunity to collaborate with Drs. Davis & Ryan on healthcare decisions.
Request an appointment with Nicole, today.
