31302

Classification

Health

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Definition

Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with additional education, advanced knowledge and nursing experience, and a specialty of practice. They provide a range of health services to patients and deliver preventive and continuous care toward the management of patients' health. Nurse practitioners work in conjunction with physicians and collaboratively with other nursing colleagues and health-care providers, or they may work independently. They are employed in community health centres, hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, and rehabilitation centres. Nurse practitioners may specialize in primary healthcare or acute care.

Main duties

• This group performs some or all of the following duties:
• Examine patients and take their medical histories and consult with physicians and other medical practitioners to evaluate patients' physical and mental health
• Order laboratory tests, X-rays and other diagnostic procedures
• Inoculate and vaccinate patients
• Advise patients and their families on health care including health promotion, disease, illness and accident prevention
• Collaborate with members of an interdisciplinary health team such as family physicians, therapists and nutritionists to plan, implement, coordinate and evaluate patient care in consultation with patients and their families
• Perform a patient advocacy role
• Prescribe and administer medications
• May coordinate or manage primary patient care.

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