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National Nurse Practitioner Week
Monday, November 09, 2009
Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with advanced education and clinical training who are certified by the State Board of Nursing and an accrediting body such as the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners or the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Recognized as expert health care providers, nurse practitioners provide primary, acute, and chronic care to patients of all ages and walks of life. This care includes:
•diagnosing, evaluating, treating and managing patients' illnesses and diseases;
•obtaining medical histories and conducting physical exams;
•ordering, prescribing and interpreting diagnostic tests, such as lab work and X-rays;
•prescribing medications;
•prescribing physical, occupational or speech therapists and other rehabilitation treatments;
•performing minor surgeries and procedures;
•counseling and educating patients on health behaviors, health promotion, wellness, self-care skills and treatments.
Initially created to offset the burden of a predicted doctor shortage in the 1970s, the first Certified Registered Nurse Practitioners were educated at the University of Colorado in 1965, and soon similar programs spread across the U.S. Presently there are about 125,000 practicing CRNPs in the United States, and about 6,000 new graduates are certified each year at over 325 colleges and universities.
CRNPs practice under the rules and regulations of the state in which they work. In Pennsylvania, the state Board of Nursing provides the exclusive regulation requiring a master's, post-master's or doctoral degree and a passing score on the national certification exam. The state also requires a collaborative working agreement with a physician in which the CRNP has availability to communicate with the collaborating physician.
Why become a CRNP?
Julie Hillyer, MSN CRNP, states, "I was inspired by my father to become a nurse and then later to move to advanced practice. I love every minute of my career. Working alongside Dr. James Davidson, D.O., to care for our patients in a holistic manner, meeting their physical and emotional needs, is a rewarding experience every day. With constant change in health care, it is crucial to institute advanced practice nurses to continue to provide quality care for our patients of the Clearfield area."
According to Barbara Malloy, the pre-anesthesia nurse practitioner at Clearfield Hospital, "There is still a growing need for healthcare providers, especially in rural areas throughout this county and beyond. As a registered nurse for more than 20 years I felt challenged to advance my role in providing quality care to my hometown community of Clearfield. The growth of knowledge, skill and professionalism has been one of the most fulfilling adventures of my career. In this advanced role I have the pleasure of evaluating surgical patients and formulating a plan based on the patient's past history, physical condition, medications, impending surgical procedure as well as their educational needs."
Joan "Joie" Kroell, a CRNP at Adagio Health in Clearfield for 19 years, meets the needs of women's health with comprehensive physical exams, screening and management of chronic disorders, contraceptive management, obstetrical care and menopausal treatment. "Providing comprehensive care to all women across their life span has been very fulfilling," says Kroell. "Dr. Roberto Luna's influence and encouragement sparked my return to school to become a nurse practitioner. I will always be grateful for his direction."
Amy Criscitello, a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner with Bright Horizons Center for Emotional Wellness at Pyramid Healthcare in Altoona, has been meting the mental health needs of her patients for many years, including active duty in the Navy Nurse Corps aboard the USNS Comfort following 9/11 in New York City and Operation Iraqi Freedom to the Persian Gulf.
Criscitello has advanced her career from a RN, BSN, to a clinical nurse specialist in adult behavioral health and then further to become a nurse practitioner.
Inspired to provide obstetrical and gynecologic care to the underserved women in rural Pennsylvania, Deborah DeMuro, BSSN, RNC, CRNP, has been a nurse practitioner for 25 years. For the past 12 years she has provided care to the women of Clearfield County at the office of Dr. Thomas Carnevale MD.
Jennifer Campolong, a family nurse practitioner with DRMC in Curwensville states, "becoming a CRNP combined my two passions, nursing care and investigation. In my advanced role as a family health nurse practitioner I provide holistic care, caring for the patient as a whole including the impact on the patient's family. I believe understanding the patient's background and lifestyle allows for a patient-specific approach which ultimately improves the patient's willingness to be treated and satisfaction with their health."
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