What do NPs do in the hospital?

[nurse1219]

I'm a nursing student and I always see NPs in the hospital and even during rounds, What exactly can NPs do in the hospital? I know they do assessments and work collaborativley with Drs but I mean can they prescribe meds?, order tests? I'm just curious what they do different than an MD? Also, I live in PA, anyone know the laws for NPs in pa?

THANKSS

[meandragonbrett]

They diagnose and prescribe medical treatment (just as they do in an office setting).

[Coffee Nurse, BSN, RN]

Our NNPs can do anything the MDs can do -- prescribe meds, order blood, place central/umbilical lines, etc. They collaborate with the NICU team and function under the auspices of the attending MD, but otherwise are pretty independently responsible for the management of maybe a third to a half of the patients on our unit. (This is in CA.)

[DirtyBlackSocks]

Same as a Doctor without the crap hours from what I've seen - I know a few NP's, they all went that route over being a Doctor so they could still have social lives outside of work...

Seems like a great gig - I was just seen by an NP and prescribed meds, lab work, etc.

I think the only thing they aren't allowed to do is make an actual diagnosis.

[elkpark]

Same as a Doctor without the crap hours from what I've seen - I know a few NP's, they all went that route over being a Doctor so they could still have social lives outside of work...

Seems like a great gig - I was just seen by an NP and prescribed meds, lab work, etc.

I think the only thing they aren't allowed to do is make an actual diagnosis.

Of course NPs diagnose -- there's no way you can prescribe treatments and medications without having first determined what you're treating.

[meandragonbrett]

I think the only thing they aren't allowed to do is make an actual diagnosis.

You don't prescribe medications and other treatments unless if you've formulated a diagnosis.

[DirtyBlackSocks]

I should have been more thorough in that explanation.

NP's - and this comes from my Aunt who has been an NP for over 20 years - are not allowed to make a diagnosis that would require a specialist, the same way a physician cannot make a diagnosis and would need to make a referral instead.

Other then that, she says NP's are required to do more of the work related to nursing, but hold almost the same credentials and power as a physician without the same pay scale.

This is totally dependent on where you work, and what your station is.

[ozoneranger]

My hubby is a PA & works in the ER. NP's & PA's are 'mid-level' practitioners, their scope is dictated by the state they work in, as well as any guidelines set forth by the facility where the patient resides.

[lil pixi]

Couldn't answer the question personally, except that I'm sure it's the same duties as an NP in an office, but now pretty sure I'd like to go the NP route after becoming & being an RN after so many years. :)

[cherrybreeze, ADN, RN]

Our NP's round on patients, order labs, meds, etc. I love them, actually, they often are more thorough than the physician they work for (I work for surgeons, so when it comes to medical issues, some are very hands-off). I love when I can call the NP for a simple issue rather than calling the surgeon. They're much nicer, too :)