A nurse practitioner (NP) is a registered nurse (RN) who has advanced graduate-level education and clinical experience, according to the American College of Nurse Practitioners. These health care professionals are capable of delivering a wide variety of health care services. In order to practice as a nurse practitioner a candidate must hold a current license as a registered nurse, have a graduate degree in a nurse practitioner field and be board certified in a nurse practitioner specialty.

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Nurse practitioners are advanced practiced registered nurses with master’s degrees in nursing. They usually specialize in a particular area of healthcare such as women’s health, family health or nurse-midwifery. Women’s health nurse practitioners treat women for a variety of health conditions. Some provide primary healthcare services while others provide gynecological or midwifery care. They work in a variety of settings.

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Providing medical care doesn't have to involve becoming a doctor or years of medical school. A physician assistant and nurse practitioner perform the same routine medical care physicians do. However, a physician assistant works under the supervision of a physician. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for a physician assistant was $81,230 in 2008. A nurse practitioner, according to Degree Directory, earns an annual median salary of $85,500.

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Nurse practitioners (NPs) are advanced registered nurses (RNs) who have achieved additional certification after becoming a registered nurse. According to the Mayo Clinic, they helped to fill a shortage of physicians that began in the mid-1960s. As such, they are often able to prescribe medicine depending on where they work.

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Registered nursing is the largest employment sector of the health care industry, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). All registered nurses are involved in treating and educating patients while providing advice and emotional support to families and caregivers. Nurses with advanced education and training may advance their careers by becoming advanced practice nurses.

nurse practitioner programs in alabama