What are Nurse Practitioners & Physician Assistants?
At Georgia Skin & Cancer Clinic we have a great team of highly qualified, board certified Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants. Nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) are increasingly mentioned as a collective solution to the nation’s healthcare shortage. There are approximately 205,000 NPs and 104,000 PAs in the United States providing cost-effective patient care, preventive care, and health promotion. NPs and PAs have extensive training and are well qualified to provider healthcare services.
Nurse Practitioner
Definition
Registered nurse (RN) with advanced education and clinical training
Provide a wide range of healthcare services, including the diagnosis and management of common as well as complex medical conditions
Practice independently or in collaboration with physician, depending on state requirements
Philosophy/Model
Medical/nursing model
Patient-centered
Besides health assessment, diagnosis, and treatment, NPs focus on health promotion, disease prevention, health education, and counseling
Certification/Licensure
Nursing accreditation and graduate education (masters or doctoral degree) with preparation in the NP role and at least 1 specialty population
National board certification in acute care, adult, family, gerontology, neonatal, oncology, pediatric, psychiatric, or women’s health specialties
Major national certifying agencies: American Association of Nurse Practitioners and American Nurses Credentialing Center
Recertification
Recertified every 5 years
May sit for appropriate examination or meet clinical practice and continuing education (CE) requirements
Minimum of 1000 hours of clinical practice as an NP in area of specialization and 75 contact hours of CE relevant to the area of specialization
Pharmacology credits required for some recertification
Scope of Practice
Authorized to practice independently without physician oversight in 21 states and DC; in remaining states, practice with varying degrees of physician involvement
Prescriptive authority in all 50 states and DC
Controlled substance prescribing restrictions in Florida
Third-Party Coverage
Eligible for certification as Medicare and Medicaid providers
Physician Assistant
Definition
Medical professional with advanced education and clinical training; focused on medical aspects of healthcare
Take medical history, conduct physical examinations, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, counsel on preventive care, assist in surgery, write prescriptions, make rounds in hospitals and nursing homes
Licensed to practice medicine with physician supervision
Philosophy/Model
Medical/physician model
Disease-centered, emphasis on the biologic/pathologic aspects of health, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment
Team approach relationship with physicians
Certification/Licensure
Graduate education
Separate accreditation and certification bodies require successful completion of an accredited program
Require National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants national certification examination and state licensure
Recertification
Requires 100 continuing medical education (CME) credits every 2 years and examination every 10 years
50 CME credits must be Category 1 and 20 of the 50 must be directed CME (self-assessment and/or performance improvement)
PA certification maintenance mirrors physician maintenance of certification process
Scope of Practice
Supervising physician delegates medical tasks to PAs in accordance with state regulation
Prescriptive authority in all states based on state-enabling legislation
Controlled substance prescribing restrictions in Florida and Kentucky
On-site supervision not required
Third-Party Coverage
Eligible for certification as Medicare and Medicaid providers
