The Growing Nurse Practitioner Workforce in Specialty Care
The Growing Nurse Practitioner Workforce in Specialty Care
The nurse practitioner (NP) role originally developed in response to a workforce supply deficit in pediatric primary care. Subsequently, NPs have assumed a more prominent role as primary care providers in response to a decreased supply of primary care physicians. Non–primary care (specialty care) NPs are anticipated to increase dramatically by 2025 as a result of growing demand and lack of specialty physician supply.
The role of the nurse practitioner (NP) has evolved since its inception in 1965 to fulfill a need in the primary care workforce. The first NP was a registered nurse who completed advanced training with a local pediatrician and began providing primary pediatric care in rural Colorado. The role has subsequently grown with a diversified population focus (eg, family, adult gerontology, pediatric, acute care). Training and board certification has been standardized; a minimum of a master's degree is currently required with a doctorate in nursing practice recommended as of this year. NPs train as generalists with a population focus in primary care. Many NPs continue to provide the primary or acute care they were trained to render across the age spectrum. However, a substantial number receive additional training and provide specialty care across multiple specialties, including internal medicine, surgical, pediatric, and mental health specialties and subspecialties.
Abstract and Introduction
Abstract
The nurse practitioner (NP) role originally developed in response to a workforce supply deficit in pediatric primary care. Subsequently, NPs have assumed a more prominent role as primary care providers in response to a decreased supply of primary care physicians. Non–primary care (specialty care) NPs are anticipated to increase dramatically by 2025 as a result of growing demand and lack of specialty physician supply.
Introduction
The role of the nurse practitioner (NP) has evolved since its inception in 1965 to fulfill a need in the primary care workforce. The first NP was a registered nurse who completed advanced training with a local pediatrician and began providing primary pediatric care in rural Colorado. The role has subsequently grown with a diversified population focus (eg, family, adult gerontology, pediatric, acute care). Training and board certification has been standardized; a minimum of a master's degree is currently required with a doctorate in nursing practice recommended as of this year. NPs train as generalists with a population focus in primary care. Many NPs continue to provide the primary or acute care they were trained to render across the age spectrum. However, a substantial number receive additional training and provide specialty care across multiple specialties, including internal medicine, surgical, pediatric, and mental health specialties and subspecialties.
