What is a Nurse Practitioner?
A nurse practitioner (NP) is a nurse who has advanced clinical education and training. NPs share many of the same duties as doctors. NPs perform physical exams, diagnose and treat diseases and other health conditions, and prescribe medication. All Nurse Practitioners have a graduate-level education.
NPs are quickly becoming the health partner of choice for millions of Americans. As clinicians that blend clinical expertise in diagnosing and treating health conditions with an added emphasis on disease prevention and health management, NPs bring a comprehensive perspective and personal touch to health care.
How can a NP help me?
Nurse Practitioners at Leaf Psychiatry hold board certification and specialized training in psychiatry and mental health, and partner with patients on their journey towards health and wholeness. NPs in Psychiatry help by diagnosing medical and mental health conditions, providing psychotherapy, and prescribing medication when needed - so that we can help the whole person heal.
NPs start by thoroughly assessing the whole person, including their current symptoms. Part of assessment may include ordering laboratory tests; like bloodwork or imaging studies. After that, your NP will discuss what they find with you, and work towards a diagnosis and treatment plan. NPs can prescribe medication if the patient agrees, and if medication has the potential to help.
What’s the difference between a NP and a Doctor?
NP’s aren’t physicians - NPs are nurses who have advanced clinical training to holistically care for you. Physicians are trained out of the medical model, which generally emphasizes diseases processes and pathology. NPs provide advanced care out of the nursing model, which seeks to alleviate suffering by caring for the whole person.
What sets NPs apart from other health care providers is their unique emphasis on the health and well-being of the whole person. With a focus on health promotion, disease prevention and health education and counseling, NPs guide patients in making smarter health and lifestyle choices, which in turn can lower patients' out-of-pocket costs.
All NPs must complete a master's or doctoral degree program and have advanced clinical training beyond their initial professional registered nurse (RN) preparation. Didactic and clinical courses prepare nurses with specialized knowledge and clinical competency to practice in a variety of specialties, including psychiatry and mental health.
