There is a big confusion among the general public. Many people believe that only doctors could write prescriptions. That is not the case. In case you did not know, there are some nurses who can write prescriptions as well.
Yes, that’s right. There are a handful of nurses with the qualifications to prescribe medication to a patient.
So now a new question arises. Which nurses can write prescriptions to patients?
The quick answer…. nurse practitioners.
What Are Nurse Practitioners? What Do They Do?
Nurse practitioners are registered nurses that have a lot of the same responsibilities as physicians. They have pursued and received post graduate education in the form of an MSN (master’s of science in nursing) or a DNP (doctorate in nursing practice) then go into a specific medical field.
These degrees require years of intensive schooling and then residency or internship work after that. The certification and licensing are a long process meant for the most intelligent, skilled, dedicated, and determined nurses. This is a great career for nursing students to aspire to.
These nurse practitioners can not only prescribe medicine and treatment but they can also diagnose and treat sickness and serve as a primary care provider. Many nurse practitioners work alongside physicians and play complimentary caretaker role to a more traditional medical role that doctor will provide.
What Is The Difference Between A Nurse Practitioner And A Doctor?
Nurse Practitioners aim to treat patient as whole as opposed to Doctors who mainly diagnose the patient’s symptoms. Nurse Practitioners can create and execute treatment plans (these take home environment, stress, mental state, and family into account) for patients. They have the authority to go into detail with their treatment options.
They can also focus on general health and wellness as a method of treatment. These things consist of diet, exercise, stress reduction, sleeping tip, etc.
Nurse practitioners are specialized but have a lot of freedom with their work and determining what is best for the patient.
What Is The Difference Between A Nurse Practitioner And A Nurse?
A nurse practitioner is everything described above. While a regular registered nurse is only responsible for administering medication, carrying out patient treatment, and recording patient symptoms.
Registered nurses are there to give the patient the attention and care they need to recover and get back to a healthy state again. They are not allowed to prescribe medication. Plus Nurse Practitioners get paid more.
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Conclusion
To sum up this post…Nurse practitioners can write prescriptions and regular registered nurses cannot. Nurse practitioners have a lot of the same schooling as physicians. They are qualified to help patients in many of same ways doctors can.
So never be afraid to rely of a Nurse Practitioner for help or medical assistance. They can point you in the right direction.
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