Ensuring Access to High-Quality Health Care

For more than half a century, nurse practitioners (NPs) have been providing primary, acute and specialty health care to millions of patients across the lifespan. NPs evaluate patients, diagnose, write prescriptions and bring a comprehensive perspective to health care in nearly 1 billion patient visits each year.

Read on to learn more about the important work done by these incredible health care providers.

PATIENTS IN 27 STATES HAVE FULL AND DIRECT ACCESS TO NP-DELIVERED CARE.

NPs provide care to millions of patients

NPs BROADEN ACCESS TO CARE

80%

see Medicaid patients.

74%

see Medicare patients.

77%

see privately-insured patients.

87%

Board Certified in Primary Care.

NPs provide nearly

1 billion patient

visits/year.

NPs increase access to

mental health care and substance use disorder treatment.

NPs spend more time with patients and provide more patient health education.

NPs practice in nearly every health care setting

Hospitals
Clinics
Veterans Health Administration
Indian Health Services facilities
Emergency rooms
Urgent care sites
Private practices (both managed and owned by NPs)
Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs)

Nursing facilities (NFs)
Schools
Colleges and universities
Retail clinics
Public health departments
Nurse managed clinics
Homeless clinics
Home health care settings

As clinicians who typically complete at least six years of undergraduate and graduate academic and clinical education, NPs blend clinical expertise in diagnosing and treating health conditions with an added emphasis on disease prevention and health management. NPs provide high-quality, patient-centered care.

Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing

RN

Registered Nurse License

Graduate or Doctorate
Degree in Nursing

National Board Certification

State NP License

Clinical Rotations

42% of Medicare patients receive services from a nurse practitioner. NPs are the fastest growing Medicare designated provider.

The National Academy of Medicine and the World Health Organization
advocate for enabling NPs to
practice to the full extent of their education and training.