NP
Meaning of NP: Licensing sits with the state, so what one nurse practitioner may do alone differs from what another may do elsewhere.
Definition of NP
NP stands for nurse practitioner, a registered nurse who has completed graduate level education and supervised clinical training beyond basic nursing preparation. That added training lets an NP examine patients, diagnose conditions, order and interpret tests, prescribe medication and manage treatment over time. NPs practice in primary care and in specialty settings including oncology, cardiology and psychiatry.
How does an NP compare with other clinicians?
| Role | Preparation | Usual authority |
|---|---|---|
| Registered nurse | Nursing degree plus state licensure | Assesses, monitors and carries out a plan of care |
| Nurse practitioner | Graduate degree, supervised clinical hours, national certification | Diagnoses, orders and interprets tests, prescribes, manages treatment |
| Physician | Medical school plus residency training | Diagnoses and treats, including the most complex presentations |
An NP is one kind of advanced practice nurse, a group that also takes in nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives and clinical nurse specialists. The training builds on nursing rather than replacing it, so an NP arrives at diagnosis from a background in patient assessment and follow up rather than from the disease first framing of medical school. The full title is written out as nurse practitioner in most records.
Why does scope of practice vary so much?
Certification is national, but the license that permits practice is issued by a state or territory, and each one writes its own rules. In some places an NP may open and run a practice with no physician involvement at all. In others a written collaborative or supervisory agreement with a physician is required for prescribing or for practice in general, and in others that requirement lapses after a defined period of supervised work. Two NPs holding identical credentials can therefore carry different authority depending on where they practice, which is why the scope of the role cannot be stated as a single national rule.
What does an NP do in cancer care?
Within an oncology team an NP often carries a large share of continuing care. That can include seeing patients between physician visits, ordering and reviewing laboratory work and scans, managing side effects of treatment, adjusting supportive medication, and explaining what results mean. The arrangement lets a patient be seen more often and more quickly than a physician only schedule allows, while decisions about the overall treatment plan stay a shared responsibility of the team.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
The NP managed the patient's follow-up visits between appointments with the oncologist.
Good to know
The tasks an NP is authorized to perform, including prescribing and practicing without physician oversight, are set by the state or territory that issues the license rather than by the national certification.