NP activities in the United States: Practice and research

Abstract

The nurse practitioner (NP) movement has been active in the United States for almost 50 years and has not been without challenges. The role of the NP is integral to the U.S. health care system. Nurse practitioners have overcome many challenges to practice and continue to move toward full scope of practice in all 50 States. To demonstrate the value and position of nurse practitioners in helping to meet the health care needs of the U.S. population, evaluation of NP practice or measuring NP outcomes is mandatory. In this paper, the speaker discusses the status of NP activities in the United States in the areas of practice and research, which are linked to NP education.