A nurse practitioner is a registered nurse who has
additional training. They also have at least a masters degree. They have specialized
training in diagnosing common medical ailments. They work very closely with
doctors.
Because the profession is state regulated, care
provided by NPs varies. A nurse practitioner's duties
include the following:
- Collaborating
with physicians and other health professionals as needed, including providing
referrals - Counseling and educating patients on health
behaviors, self-care skills, and treatment
options - Diagnosing and treating acute illnesses,
infections, and injuries - Diagnosing, treating, and
monitoring chronic diseases (e.g., diabetes, high blood
pressure) - Obtaining medical histories and conducting
physical
examinations
A
physicians assistant is a medical professional who can practice medicine under the
supervision of a medical doctor. Before becoming a PA, an individual must complete a
specialized educational program.
PAs are formally trained to provide diagnostic,
therapeutic, and preventive healthcare services, as delegated by a physician. Working as
members of a healthcare team, they take medical histories, examine and treat patients,
order and interpret laboratory tests and x rays, and make diagnoses. They also treat
minor injuries by suturing, splinting, and casting. PAs record progress notes, instruct
and counsel patients, and order or carry out
therapy.
As you can see, the
duties of NP's and PA's are very similar. The main difference between the two is
education.
No comments:
Post a Comment