The Nurse Practitioner: Your Partner in Health

In largely rural areas like West Texas, nurse practitioners (NPs) are essential to providing high-quality, cost-effective health care for patients of all ages. In fact, more than 18 percent of NPs practice in rural settings with populations of less than 25,000, according to the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).

A nurse practitioner is a registered nurse who has advanced education and clinical training in a health care specialty. Currently there are more than 171,000 NPs nationwide.

The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) School of Nursing in conjunction with the AANP and nursing schools across the country, will celebrate Nurse Practitioner Week Nov. 10-16. The School of Nursing will host a luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 13 at the International Cultural Center, 601 Indiana Ave.

Nurse practitioner and TTUHSC School of Nursing Associate Professor Wendy Thal, DNP, R.N., FNP-C, CEN, will be the keynote speaker. In addition, the South Plains Nurse Practitioner Association will present the award to the 2013 Outstanding Nurse Practitioner for the South Plains.

Among the many services nurse practitioners provide:

• Deliver a unique blend of nursing and medicine, focusing on care and cure


• Order and interpret diagnostic tests such as lab work and X-rays


• Diagnose and treat acute and chronic conditions like diabetes and injuries


• Prescribe appropriate treatments


• Practice with other health care professionals to assess and manage patients’ health needs

More than 14,000 new nurse practitioners were prepared between 2011 and 2012, according to the AANP. The School of Nursing graduated 130 nurse practitioners this year. An estimated 128 students will graduate from the program in 2014.

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