Patients are Choosing Nurse Practitioners as Their Primary Care Provider in Many Communities Across the US

This month's column highlights why patients are choosing to see nurse practitioners (NPs) as primary care providers, for both urgent and chronic care needs. Nurse practitioners are 1 type of advanced practice RN. Advanced practice RNs are inclusive of NPs, nurse midwives, nurse specialists, and nurse anesthetists. Primary care NPs see patients in the ambulatory and community settings, focusing on disease prevention and health maintenance. Primary care NPs often work in rural communities, providing access to care for many underserved populations.