If you’ve ever received care at Cempa Community Care, the odds are good that you were seen by a nurse practitioner. These medical providers play an important role in healthcare in general — and right here in our clinic.
Behind every great healthcare experience is a team — and nurse practitioners (NPs) are an essential part of it. These providers bridge the gap between patients and physicians, offering personalized, hands-on care.
National Nurse Practitioner Week is held annually in the month of November to celebrate nurse practitioners. This year’s NP Week is from Nov. 9 to 15, and we’re seizing the opportunity to tell you a little about what NPs do and how they can benefit your health.
What Is a Nurse Practitioner?
You may have guessed from the name that a nurse practitioner is a type of nurse. That’s true. Nurse practitioners are medical providers who have training and education in nursing.
What sets NPs apart from registered nurses is that they have advanced clinical training. Nurse practitioners go through graduate-level educational programs to prepare them to care for patients in many healthcare settings. That means they have at least a master’s degree and may have made progress toward a doctoral degree in nursing.
Because of this training, they’re able to provide many of the same services that doctors do. They’re able to diagnose, treat, prescribe medications for, and help patients manage medical conditions under the overarching supervision of a physician.
The Role of Nurse Practitioners
Nurse practitioners play an increasingly important role in healthcare today for many reasons. For one, they’re filling a big gap in primary care.
Right now, the United States is facing a significant shortage of primary care providers (PCPs). PCPs help people stay healthy and manage chronic health conditions as they get older.
In the past, PCPs were primarily doctors. Many of the doctors who were offering primary care services in the past few decades are retiring or otherwise leaving medicine, making it harder for many patients to find a dedicated primary care provider.
Nurse practitioners are stepping up to fill that role. Because they have advanced training and a focus on patient-centered care, they’re well-equipped to provide primary care services to people of all ages.
Why We’re Giving Thanks for Our Nurse Practitioners
You can find NPs in many settings, including medical offices, hospitals, emergency rooms, urgent care facilities, nursing homes, and college and employer health clinics. Like doctors, they can specialize in different types of care, such as psychiatric care or pediatric care, for example.
At Cempa, our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable care to everyone in our community. That includes offering a wide range of health services to the uninsured and underinsured, making essential care more accessible to area residents.
Our nurse practitioners help make that mission possible. At the Cempa Community Care Clinic, you may see an NP for primary care visits or for your infectious disease needs, including prevention and treatment for certain infectious diseases.
In their primary care role, our nurse practitioners can check up on your health and order any tests or vaccinations you need based on your age, sex, and other factors. When you return to our clinic for subsequent visits, you can trust that our medical providers are keeping an eye on your health and doing what’s needed to keep you healthy and well.
Join us in celebrating our team of dedicated nurse practitioners. They’re here for your health — and that’s worth cheering for.
Due for a checkup? Schedule an appointment with our nurse practitioners and other primary care providers by calling 423.265.2273. Established patients can also schedule an appointment online through the patient portal.
