I am frequently asked questions about my profession. It is surprising, that with so many Nurse Practitioners in practice today, there is so little known or understood about our profession. Some of the more common questions are:

Are you just like a doctor? No, we are Registered Nurses with advanced clinical training. Most Nurse Practitioners worked as RN’s while completing their master’s degree. This master’s degree allows them to specialize in different areas of patient care including Women’s Health, Adult Medicine, Geriatrics, Pediatrics and Family Medicine.

Can you prescribe medications? Yes. In Missouri, Nurse Practitioners can prescribe most medications.

What exactly does a “Women’s Health” nurse practitioner do? In an Ob-Gyn’s office, we perform well woman exams, prescribe oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy as needed and check for infections. We can also handle routine obstetrical visits. Like a physician we can order and interpret lab and other diagnostic testing as needed. As Nurse Practitioners we have been trained in a holistic approach to health care, focusing on the whole person, physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally. We pride ourselves on our ability to listen to and spend time with our patients.

The care provided by Nurse Practitioners of any specialty is dictated by their education and training, as well as a collaborative practice agreement that we must sign with a physician of the same specialty. This agreement sets the parameters for the relationship between the Nurse Practitioner and the supervising physician. The nurse practitioner and physician are in frequent communication and the physician is always available to the NP for consultation.

Remember, whether you see a physician, a nurse practitioner or another health care provider, be sure you are seeing someone that you feel comfortable with. Someone you can talk to, be honest with and trust. No health care provider can fully address your healthcare needs without open, honest communication.