Nurse Practitioners are registered nurses who have acquired the formal education, extended knowledge base and clinical skills beyond the registered nurse level to practice in an advanced role as direct health care providers. They are authorized to practice by the Board in a specialty area via their registered nurse licensure and advanced practice certification in a specialty area.

Nurse Practitioners provide health care services within their specialty area to individuals, families and groups including but not limited to admission, management of care, discharge and follow up, in ambulatory, acute, long term and other health care settings. They utilize critical judgment in the performance of comprehensive health assessments, differential medical diagnosis including ordering, conducting, and interpreting diagnostic and laboratory tests, and the prescribing of pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments in the direct management of acute and chronic illness and disease.

Nurse Practitioners serve in multiple roles, including but not limited to, direct providers of care, health care researchers, consultants, and educators. They may work in independent practice and work collaboratively with other health care professionals when appropriate.

  • Assessing patients, synthesizing and analyzing data and understanding and applying principles of health care at an advanced level
  • Managing the physical and psychosocial health status of patients
  • Analyzing multiple sources of data, identifying alternative possibilities as to the nature of a health care problem and selecting, implementing and evaluating appropriate treatment
  • Making independent decisions in solving complex patient care problems
  • Diagnosing, performing diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, prescribing, administering and dispensing therapeutic measures, including legend drugs, medical devices and controlled substances within the scope of registered nurse practitioner practice on meeting the requirements established by the board
  • Recognizing the limits of the nurse’s knowledge and experience, planning for situations beyond the nurse’s knowledge and expertise and consulting with or referring patients to other health care providers when appropriate
  • Delegating to a medical assistant pursuant to section 32-1456
  • Performing additional acts that require education and training as prescribed by the board and that are recognized by the nursing profession as proper to be performed by a nurse practitioner.

In addition to the scope of practice permitted a registered nurse, they may perform the following acts within the limits of the specialty area of certification:

  • Examine a patient and establish a medical diagnosis by patient history, physical examination, and other criteria;
  • For a patient who requires the services of a health care facility:
    • Admit the patient to the facility
    • Manage the care the patient receives in the facility
    • Discharge the patient from the facility
  • Order and interpret laboratory, radiographic, and other diagnostic tests, and perform those tests that the RNP is qualified to perform
  • Identify, develop, implement, and evaluate a plan of care for a patient to promote, maintain, and restore health
  • Perform therapeutic procedures that the RNP is qualified to perform
  • Prescribe treatments
  • If authorized, prescribe and dispense drugs and devices
  • Perform additional acts that the RNP is qualified to perform