The nursing profession focuses on patient observation and care. Often known as the backbone of any hospital, clinic or other health care facility, nurses provide vital care and support to patients. Health systems employ many nursing professions and specialties. In honor of National Nurse Practitioner Week, let’s look at nurse practitioners (NPs) versus registered nurses (RNs).
Every nurse practitioner is a registered nurse, but not every registered nurse is a nurse practitioner. In a broad view, the differences between these two roles are in
A registered nurse needs a bachelor’s or associate degree. Every nursing program requires clinical experience. After graduation, a nurse must pass a national exam required by every state. Registered nurses provide and coordinate patient care, often tending to a patient’s primary care during their stay in a health care facility. Registered nurses’ duties include:
Registered nurses can work in many care settings, including schools or cruise ships. While both registered nurses and nurse practitioners can support health care in a variety of environments, nurse practitioners usually practice in a clinical setting.
Nurse practitioners complete the same education as a registered nurse, but then go on to complete a master’s or doctoral program. They also must receive advanced clinical training. Nurse practitioners work with other health care professions to provide a full range of care. In some states, they can work independently and have their own clinic, providing many services a physician does. The duties of a nurse practitioner include:
Although these two nursing professions differ in their scope of duties, they both have the same end goal: to provide the best care possible for their patients.
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