What is a Nurse Practitioner?
by Dr. Brie Woodruff
Hello Neighborhood Naturopathic friends! I am Dr. Brie Woodruff, a nurse practitioner who will be joining the NN team. Since I will be the first family nurse practitioner at the clinic, I wanted to share a little bit about what a Nurse Practitioner is and what we can do in practice.
What is a Nurse Practitioner?
Nurse practitioners (NPs) are medical providers who have a initial training as a registered nurse (RN) and then continue on to receive additional training graduate level training through either a master’s or doctoral-level program.
What can Nurse Practitioners do in practice?
Similar to naturopaths, nurse practitioners (NPs) can provide a full range of primary, acute and specialty health care services but license restrictions varies state to state. In Washington state, NPs are fully autonomous (they do not need to work under a physician) and can assess patients, order and interpret diagnostic tests, place referrals, make diagnoses, and initiate and manage treatment plans — including prescribing medications.
How do Nurse Practitioners approach care?
Nurse Practitioners tend to place a great deal of emphasis on the health and well-being of the whole person. They focus on health promotion, disease prevention, and health education and counseling and can act as a facilitator and guide to help individuals understand their care and make informed decisions.
Have additional questions about NPs or want to set up care with me?
Click here to read my full bio or here to schedule a visit!
see you in clinic,
Dr. Woodruff