Not Just Doctors: The Other Health Care Providers Who Treat You

Medical practices around the country increasingly rely on nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other health care professionals to help with everything from monitoring vital signs to ordering tests, diagnosing illnesses and even assisting in surgery.

These providers also play a critical role on the front lines of pain management and in educating patients on their medical conditions and how to better take care of their health. Many are trained in what’s known as the holistic model of nursing — an approach that’s highly patient-focused; that different perspective can make nurse practitioners and others an impactful asset in the clinical setting.

Here are some of the professionals you may encounter in a doctor’s office, who they are, and what they are trained to do.*

1. Registered Nurse (RN)

Who they are: Registered nurses graduate from an approved nursing program and pass an exam to be licensed by a state board. They can administer medication prescribed by a physician or other health professional, monitor a patient’s vital signs and help educate the patient. They can help coordinate care, draw blood, insert intravenous lines and collect lab work.

What to know: RNs cannot perform some procedures without additional training and certification. They cannot prescribe medication.

2. Nurse Practitioner (NP)

Who they are: Nurse practitioners have additional training to assess and address patient needs. NPs have a master’s or doctoral degree and provide primary, acute and specialty health care. In the primary care setting, NPs take medical histories, assess, diagnose, order tests and X-rays, prescribe medications, and refer to specialists.

What to know: NPs may work in specific subspecialties, including pediatrics, critical care, geriatrics, emergency care and other areas.

3. Physician Assistant/Associate (PA)

Who they are: Licensed clinicians with a master’s degree who practice medicine in an array of specialties. PAs take patient histories, assess and diagnose conditions, prescribe medications, and order tests. The main difference from nurse practitioners is that PAs are trained according to the medical model while NPs are trained in the holistic nursing model of care.