nurse practitionering

Lately I've been concentrating a lot on the "public health" aspect of this blog, and less on the grad school aspect. Since the blog really should be about both, this'd be a good time for me to talk more about studying to be a nurse practitioner.

Not everyone is totally clear what a nurse practitioner is. The basic idea is that a nurse practitioner is a registered nurse who has completed master's level coursework, and has been licensed by the state to diagnose and treat illness. An NP's privileges vary by the state: most states require that the NP work with a "supervising physician" and limit an NP's prescribing privileges. New York policy is very liberal: NPs here have full prescriptive power, and work with a "collaborating physician". Many NPs see the future of the profession in the provision of primary care; as US physicians become more and more specialized, and as we move (fingers crossed) towards more comprehensive health coverage, a "primary care gap" like the one that has emerged in Massachusetts since the insurance reforms of 2007 is expected to become more and more prevalent. This is, to the minds of many, where NPs come in.

In order to be an NP candidate, one must already be an RN, usually with a BSN, although there are some associate-to-master's programs. (Columbia used to have one, but it was discontinued.) My program is four semesters worth of coursework. The first semester was: Pharmacology, Physical Assessment, Health Policy, and Introduction to Primary Care. That semester had no clinical component. This past semester (Spring 2009) was Diagnosis and Management I, Seminar in Primary Care (basically case presentations), and Genetics. We also had a clinical requirement, which I have blogged about in the past.

I also work part time at a NYC facility for formerly homeless adults, but that's for another post. :)