National Nurse Practitioner Week is Nov. 11-17 to recognize the care that nurse practitioners have provided to patients for over 50 years.

According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, nurse practitioners number approximately 248,000 strong in the United States with an additional 23,000 nurse practitioners students graduating each year. Nurse practitioners provide high-quality, personalized health care for primary, acute and specialty care and offer a unique combination of nursing and health care services to patients.

"A nurse practitioner is an advanced practice nurse that has received at least a master's degree education," said Freddie Thronson, a nurse practitioner at Naval Hospital Pensacola's Family Medicine Clinic. "We usually act as physician extenders or mid-level providers that are trained to treat common and complex chronic health conditions in collaboration with a physician."

Nurse practitioners provide a full range of services such as ordering, performing and interpreting diagnostic tests; diagnosing and treating acute and chronic conditions; prescribing medications and treatments; and managing overall patient care.

"Nurse Practitioners are an important part of our health care team," said Thronson, from Pensacola, Fla. "We are helpful extensions to physicians to ensure our [patient] population receives helpful and quality health care treatment."

According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, the majority of nurse practitioners will see three or more patients per hour with those in full-time practice writing 23 prescriptions a day. Nurse practitioners focus on health promotion, disease prevention and health education and counseling to guide patients to make smarter health and lifestyle choices.

"In a military medical facility, nurse practitioners provide additional provider access to our growing population of active duty, dependent and retired population," said Thronson. "I would say that nurse practitioners enjoy their position because not only can we provide medical treatment, but we also have the opportunity to expand on our nursing heritage to educate and guide patients to a healthier lifestyle."

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