The Nurse Practitioner’s Place

Come into office. Check phone and desk for messages. Check the labs that came across from the day before, and write out instructions on lab letters to be sent back to the patients. Draw labs on patients that my nurse can’t “hit”.

New pt visit 30-45 minutes: Complete history, including medical, surgical, and family history. Head to toe review of systems. Head to toe physical exam. Address any new symptoms or chronic symptoms. Refill or write any prescriptions needed. Educate about all disease processes and about what each prescription is for. Review if any preventative care has been completed such as mammogram, Pap, colonoscopy, bone density, etc. Request record release so that I can obtain prior records to review. Ask is there is anything else that they wanted to ask me. Explain our “open access scheduling (same day) to set up follow up. Off they go!

Next visit (established 15 minutes)- Medication review, ask if any changes in ROS since last visit. Address new problem or review established problems. Review any test results since last visit. Reinforce education about disease processes.

This process happens throughout the morning until 12:00 when we break for lunch. I usually eat in 30 minutes (left over from the hospital days- eat fast whatever is available). Use the rest of the lunch break to do any of the never ending paperwork.. I REALLY HATE THIS PART!

See patients throughout day varying from pediatrics to geriatrics. I also see minor emergencies such as I&D, suturing, stapling etc. Refer to Emergency Department any cases needing such expertise (You’re up all you emergency room nurses! Keep my patients safe and healthy!) We often get cases as a walk in basis that are serious because patients wait too long before being seen. That’s a story for the next edition..

04:15-05:00- Email or call my collaborating MD to discuss any difficult cases dealt with during the day. Return other physician phone calls if arise. Read through consultation notes received. Discuss the cases encountered during day with my nurse to encourage her to expand her knowledge base as well as pick her brain when needed.

That’s pretty much a day in the life of a Family Nurse Practitioner. I love my job and really enjoy building relationships with my patients and watching them respond to the treatments I recommend. I am taking care of entire families now and that’s what it’s all about!