Nurse practitioner's in the hospital setting.

[speedi]

I have read the other post regarding NP's working in a hospital setting, not much help. I have been offered a positioned with our hospitalist team who are contracted by our hospital. My questions are:1. How is the role of the nurse practitioner defined? I would like to hear from other NP's who work in this role. This is new to our hospital.2. Is there a job description on what the NP's can and cannot do. I was told that I would be doing H&P 's, discharges, setting up home health and not sure of other things.3. The position will be part time initially.I have been a NP for a year and only worked in an Internal Medicine Practice a couple days a week. Any assistance I can obtain would be great, thanks. D

[Corey Narry, MSN, RN, NP]

The first thing to establish is what kind of privileges you will be granted by the hospital's governing board. The governing board is typically composed of physicians and representatives from allied health provider groups (NP's, PA's, Psychologists, etc.). This group will decide on whether your credentials meet the requirements of your role and will grant privileges to you according to what types of activities your group will ask you to perform.

Typically core privileges include writing H&P and progress notes, writing admission orders, writing medication orders, and discharge summaries. In special situations depending on your specific specialty, additional privileges can be sought such as performance of procedures (central lines, chest tube placements, paracenteses, lumbar punctures). Legally, you may not perform any advanced practice nursing role until the governing board have reviewed your credentials (the process of credentialing) and have granted you privileges to perform activities related to your advanced practice nursing role.

[speedi]

Thank you for your input.