What is a nurse practitioner?

A Nurse Practitioner is a Registered Nurse who has advanced education and clinical training.  Most nurse practitioners have a Master’s degree in Nursing from an accredited college or university.  After completing their education, nurse practitioners take a board certification exam, upon passing they can obtain state licensure.

Nurse practitioners diagnose and treat common medical illnesses.  They perform physical exams, order diagnostic tests and x-rays, and prescribe medications and treatments based upon the diagnosis.

Most nurse practitioners are employed by physicians in various practice settings.  In the state of Georgia a nurse practitioner must be employed by a physician in order to have prescriptive authority.

Nurse practitioners have worked in various healthcare settings since 1965 in the United States.  There are approximately 185,000 nurse practitioners currently practicing in the United States.

The office of John E. West, M.D., P.C. utilizes the services of Certified Family Nurse Practitioners.