Nurse Practitioners
Often, patients schedule appointments expecting to see an MD or DO — in fact, the idea of seeing a doctor has become synonymous with seeing a provider.
“You should see a doctor.”
“I’m off early for a doctor’s appointment.”
However, in many cases, patients may be seen by a different type of healthcare provider who can provide many of the same skilled medical services as licensed doctors. Nurse practitioners put years of medical experience and education to work in a clinical setting, treating common illnesses and injuries with the same effectiveness as a doctor and with many long-term benefits for patients.
What Is a Nurse Practitioner?
According to the American Nurses Association, a nurse practitioner is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who can provide direct patient care with advanced clinical training. At Carlinville Area Hospital & Clinics, nurse practitioners collaborate with MDs, DOs, and other providers in both primary care and specialty clinics, including family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, gastroenterology, pain management, wound and surgical care, oncology, pulmonary medicine, and orthopedics. Local facilities like Carlinville Family Health Care, Girard Family Health Care, Virden Family Health Care (opening March 31, 2025), the Outpatient Specialty Clinics, and Carlinville Area Hospital & Clinics – Gillespie are served by a team of skilled and compassionate nurse practitioners. Duties may include diagnosing and treating acute and chronic illnesses and conditions, interpreting diagnostic tests, and prescribing medications.
How Much Education Do Nurse Practitioners Need?
The required education to become a nurse practitioner is extensive. Nurse practitioners typically take about six to eight years of undergraduate and graduate-level training, the latter of which takes about two to four years alone, depending on the type of degree.
Nurse practitioners must first earn their RN (registered nurse) degree — which can be satisfied by an associate degree — followed by a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), which is required for admission into grad school; students may also begin BSN studies during their freshman year. Then, they must earn a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) — typically a two-year degree. Some continue their training with a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), which can take up to four years to complete and while optional in many cases, employers and state licensing boards sometimes require it. Finally, nurse practitioners must earn national accreditation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), which confirms a nurse practitioner has completed all coursework and clinical training and is eligible for an APRN license.
What Are the Benefits of Seeing a Nurse Practitioner?
Given their extensive education and clinical practice, nurse practitioners have the skills and knowledge to treat patients of all ages for the same illnesses and injuries for which one may consult a physician. According to the AANP, studies have shown care provided by nurse practitioners is “safe, effective, patient-centered, efficient, equitable, and evidence-based,” with care comparable to that provided by physicians. In fact, studies have also shown no statistical difference across outcome measures, the AAPN reports. Additionally, patients who see nurse practitioners have fewer unnecessary hospital readmissions, fewer potentially preventable hospitalizations, fewer unnecessary Emergency Department visits, and higher patient satisfaction.
Schedule your Annual Wellness Visit with the expert nurse practitioners at the Rural Health Clinics. Find a clinic near you and call today.
Posted in Healthy Habits Brief on Feb 28, 2025