Nurse Practitioners Make a Difference
Nurse practitioners (NPs) have spent decades forging the way for independent, quality patient care, and there’s no better time to acknowledge their work — and their persistence — than during Nurse Practitioner Week, which runs from November 10–16. Delivering care to patients of all ages, NPs serve in tiny rural clinics, large hospitals, and everything in between, supporting and expanding on the traditions established by founding nurses who desired greater autonomy and more efficient patient care. To commemorate Nurse Practitioner Week, take a moment to revisit defining moments in nurse practitioner history and learn more about how the profession is evolving today.
Loretta Ford Breaks Ground for Nurse Practitioners
When nurse Loretta Ford joined ranks with physician Henry Silver in the late 1960s, the world was buzzing with change and Ford felt it was the perfect time to transform the nursing profession. Starting her career as a public health nurse in the 1940s and 50s, Ford worked day after day in rural communities helping to set up clinics wherever she could — in churches, community centers, and schools — anywhere she could care for patients. With each patient she treated, Ford gained valuable experience that she would use to start the country’s first nurse practitioner program, and there could not have been a more opportune time. Increasing specialization by physicians was leaving a gaping shortage in primary care providers.1
At the University of Colorado in 1965, Ford partnered with Dr. Silver to develop a program that would teach nurses to focus on health promotion, disease prevention, and the health of children and families. Early programs lacked structure and certification, and the role of the nurse practitioner was questioned by many in the health care field until the 1970s when early research into the specialty showed that NPs improved access to primary care and that both patients and physicians were satisfied with their care.2 In the 1990s, further research published in the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association bolstered the quality, cost, and competence of nurse practitioners as primary care providers.
Today’s Nurse Practitioners Continue a Tradition of Quality
In the years that followed, nurse practitioners continued to fight for a well-defined scope of care and greater professional and economic recognition. Today, more than 600,000 visits have been made to an estimated 140,000 practicing NPs.3 Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs) make up the largest practice specialty among advanced practice nurses.4
Training programs across the country follow clearly delineated educational and practice standards, all while giving the same quality care Loretta Ford envisioned. While there is continued debate over lingering issues — such as physician oversight and scope of practice barriers — implementation of the Affordable Care Act will introduce millions of new patients into the U.S. health care system, and nurse practitioners will be central in the delivery of quality health care.3
Nurse Practitioner Week is an optimal opportunity to acknowledge the roles and responsibilities of NPs. By teaming with community partners, working with local media, and taking time to spread the word, nurse practitioners can further educate the public about their role in today’s health care settings.5
Take Your Place in Nurse Practitioner History with Simmons
The Simmons School of Nursing and Health Sciences (SNHS) has been educating nurses since 1902 and has one of the oldest NP programs in the country. The Simmons School of Nursing and Health Sciences offers personalized guidance to prepare FNPs for professional roles in primary care. Simmons graduates have consistently received a 100 percent first-time pass rate on FNP certification exams. By joining a network of more than 55,000 alumni, graduates receive more than specialized training — they also gain continuing professional support from a network of friends and colleagues.
References
1. Nurse Practitioners Were ‘Lone Rangers’ Founder Says
2. How Nurse Practitioners Obtained Provider Status: A Lesson for Pharmacists