Advanced Practice Nurses


Burgess Square is pleased to offer full-time nurse practitioner coverage to better meet our patients and residents needs. A nurse practitioner (NP) is a registered nurse (RN) who has completed advanced education (a minimum of a master's degree) and training in the diagnosis and management of common medical conditions, including chronic illnesses. Nurse practitioners provide a broad range of health care services. They provide some of the same care provided by physicians and maintain close working relationships with our physicians. The core philosophy of the field is individualized care. Nurse practitioners focus on patients' conditions, as well as the effects of illness on the lives of the patients and their families. NP's make prevention, wellness, and patient education their priority. This means fewer prescriptions and less expensive treatments. Informing patients about their health care and encouraging them to participate in decisions is central to the care provided by NP's.

A nurse practitioner's duties include the following:

• Collaborating with physicians and other health professionals as needed, including providing referrals
• Counseling and educating patients on health behaviors, self-care skills, and treatment options
• Diagnosing and treating acute illnesses, infections, and injuries
  
• Diagnosing, treating, and monitoring chronic diseases (e.g., diabetes, high blood pressure)
• Obtaining medical histories and conducting physical examinations
  
• Ordering, performing, and interpreting diagnostic studies (e.g., lab tests, x-rays, EKG's)
• Prescribing medications · Prescribing physical therapy and other rehabilitation treatment
• Providing health maintenance care for adults, including annual physicals