Family Nurse Practitioner
A Nurse Practitioner (NP) is a registered nurse who has completed specific advanced nursing education (generally a master's degree) and training in the diagnosis and management of common as well as complex medical conditions. Nurse Practitioners provide a broad range of health care services. Nurse Practitioners can be trained and nationally certified in areas of pediatrics, geriatrics, women's health, psychiatry and acute care.
Nurse Practitioners treat both acute and chronic conditions through comprehensive history taking, physical exams, physical therapy, ordering tests and therapies for patients, within their scope of practice. An NP can serve as a patient's "point of entry" health care provider, and see patients of all ages depending on their designated scope of practice. The core philosophy of the field is individualized care. Nurse Practitioners focus on patients' conditions as well as the effects of illness on the lives of the patients and their families.
Scope of Practice:
- Diagnosing, treating, evaluating and managing non-life-threatening acute and chronic illness and disease (e.g. diabetes, high blood pressure)
- Obtaining medical histories and conducting physical examinations
- Ordering, performing, and interpreting diagnostic studies (e.g., routine lab tests, bone x-rays, EKGs)
- Prescribing physical therapy and other rehabilitation treatments
- Providing prenatal care and family planning services
- Providing well-child care, including screening and immunizations
- Providing primary and specialty care services, health-maintenance care for adults, including annual physicals
- Providing care for patients in acute and critical care settings
- Performing minor surgeries and procedures (with additional training and usually under supervision) (e.g., dermatological biopsies, suturing, casting)
- Counseling and educating patients on health behaviors, self-care skills, and treatment options
- Not formally trained for surgical assisting
Practice Settings: NPs practice in all U.S. states. The institutions in which they work include the following:
- Community clinics and nurse-managed health centers
- Health departments
- Health maintenance organizations (HMOs)
- Home health care agencies
- Hospitals and hospital clinics including ER, urgent care, wards, and intensive care units
- Hospice centers
- Nurse Practitioner offices
- Nursing homes
- Nursing schools
- Physician offices
- Public health departments
- School/college clinics
- Veterans Administration facilities
- Walk-In Clinics
Thank you for your interest in Ohio University’s MSN program. More information about our program can be found in OU’s Graduate Catalog.
In order to compete part of the admission process for the program we require all students to submit the required documents to the School of Nursing such as: your resume, statement of goals and objectives, and letters of recommendation. If you graduated from a Baccalaureate program other than OU you should also send any unofficial transcripts to the School of Nursing.
Your official transcripts are to be sent to the Office of Graduate Student Services. If you are an OU graduate you should consider sending us your student identification information so that we can access your records.
Again, We would like to thank you for your interest. Please call 740-593-4494 or email Dr. Rose-Grippa at grippa@ohio.edu if you have any further questions.