nurse practitioner

nurse (nurs)

1. one who is especially prepared in the scientific basis of nursing and who meets certain prescribed standards of education and clinical competence.

2. to provide services essential to or helpful in the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health and well-being.

3. to breast-feed an infant.

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clinical nurse specialist  a registered nurse with a high degree of knowledge, skill, and competence in a specialized area of nursing, and usually having a master's degree in nursing.

community nurse  in Great Britain, a public health nurse.

community health nurse  public health n.

district nurse  community n.

general duty nurse  a registered nurse, usually one who has not undergone training beyond the basic nursing program, who sees to the general nursing care of patients in a hospital or other health agency.

graduate nurse  a graduate of a school of nursing; often used to designate one who has not been registered or licensed.

licensed practical nurse  a graduate of a school of practical nursing whose qualifications have been examined by a state board of nursing and who has been legally authorized to practice as a licensed practical or vocational nurse (L.P.N. or L.V.N.), under supervision of a physician or registered nurse.

licensed vocational nurse  see licensed practical n.

nurse practitioner  a registered nurse with advanced education and clinical training within a specialty area.

private nurse , private duty nurse one who attends an individual patient, usually on a fee-for-service basis, and who may specialize in a specific class of diseases.

probationer nurse  a person who has entered a school of nursing and is under observation to determine fitness for the nursing profession; applied principally to nursing students enrolled in hospital schools of nursing.

public health nurse  an especially prepared registered nurse employed in a community agency to safeguard the health of persons in the community, giving care to the sick in their homes, promoting health and well-being by teaching families how to keep well, and assisting in programs for the prevention of disease.

Queen's nurse  in Great Britain, a district nurse who has been trained at or in accordance with the regulations of the Queen Victoria Jubilee Institute for Nurses.

registered nurse  a graduate nurse who has been legally authorized (registered) to practice after examination by a state board of nurse examiners or similar regulatory authority, and who is legally entitled to use the designation RN.

scrub nurse  one who directly assists the surgeon in the operating room.

nurse specialist  clinical n. specialist.

visiting nurse  public health n.

wet nurse  a woman who breast-feeds the infant of another.

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practitioner /prac·ti·tion·er/ (prak-tish´un-er) one who has met the requirements of and is engaged in the practice of medicine, dentistry, or nursing.

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nurse practitioner  see under nurse.

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nurse practitioner

n. Abbr. NP

A registered nurse with special training for providing primary health care, including many tasks customarily performed by a physician.

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Nurse practitioner

A registered nurse who is qualified to perform some specialized duties.

Mentioned in: Bone Marrow Aspiration and Biopsy

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nurse practitioner (NP),

a registered nurse who has advanced education in nursing (a master's of science in nursing) and clinical experience in a specialized area of nursing practice. NPs are certified by passing an examination administered by a professional organization such as the American Nurses' Credentialing Center. They collaborate with other health care providers to deliver primary care to patients with common acute or stable chronic medical conditions in ambulatory care settings. Some NPs also function in a specialty, tertiary, or long-term care setting. NPs may offer a variety of services, such as complete physical examinations, health assessments, and patient education. Specialty certification is required for family nurse practitioner (FNP), women's health care nurse practitioner (RNC), neonatal nurse practitioner (NNP), pediatric nurse practitioner (CPNP), adult nurse practitioner (ANP), school nurse practitioner (SNP), gerontological nurse practitioner (GNP), acute care nurse practitioner (CS), and psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP). The list of NP specialties is expected to expand further in the near future to include mental health, campus health, and occupational health. The scope of all advanced nursing practice is influenced by state laws, federal laws, insurance practices, and regional acceptance. In many states NPs may obtain prescriptive authority. Some insurance organizations recognize NPs as primary health care providers and allow direct reimbursement for their services. Also called advanced practice nurse. See also specific kinds of nurse practitioner.

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nurse,

n 1. a person educated and licensed in the practice of nursing; one who is concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of human responses to actual or potential health problems.
v 2. to breastfeed an infant.

nurse anesthetist,

n a registered nurse qualified by advanced training in an accredited program in the specialty of nurse anesthesia to manage the care of the patient during the administration of anesthesia in selected surgical situations.

nurse practitioner,

n a nurse who, by advanced education and clinical experience in a specialized area of nursing practice, has acquired expert knowledge and skill in a special branch of practice. The nurse practitioner acts as a nurse clinician, functioning independently within standing orders or protocols and collaborating with associates to implement a plan of care.

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nurse practitioner

Nursing A registered nurse with an advanced nursing degree and/or training who can render medical services with a limited degree of autonomy under the aegis of a physician supervisor. See Physician extender.