The Nurse Practitioner: Your Partner in Health
In largely rural areas like West Texas, nurse practitioners (NPs) are essential to providing high-quality, cost-effective health care for patients of all ages. In fact, more than 18 percent of NPs practice in rural settings with populations of less than 25,000, according to the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).
A nurse practitioner is a registered nurse who has advanced education and clinical training in a health care specialty. Currently there are more than 171,000 NPs nationwide.
The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) School of Nursing in conjunction with the AANP and nursing schools across the country, will celebrate Nurse Practitioner Week Nov. 10-16. The School of Nursing will host a luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 13 at the International Cultural Center, 601 Indiana Ave.
Nurse practitioner and TTUHSC School of Nursing Associate Professor Wendy Thal, DNP, R.N., FNP-C, CEN, will be the keynote speaker. In addition, the South Plains Nurse Practitioner Association will present the award to the 2013 Outstanding Nurse Practitioner for the South Plains.
Among the many services nurse practitioners provide:
- Deliver a unique blend of nursing and medicine, focusing on care and cure
- Order and interpret diagnostic tests such as lab work and X-rays
- Diagnose and treat acute and chronic conditions like diabetes and injuries
- Prescribe appropriate treatments
- Practice with other health care professionals to assess and manage patients’ health needs
More than 14,000 new nurse practitioners were prepared between 2011 and 2012, according to the AANP. The School of Nursing graduated 130 nurse practitioners this year. An estimated 128 students will graduate from the program in 2014.
For more breaking news and experts, follow @ttuhscnews on Twitter.
Community members in central Lubbock now have access to health care services and prenatal programs at one location inside the YWCA.
Students in TTUHSC's School of Medicine Class of 2028 received their first white coat and pledged their commitment to the medical profession at the White Coat Ceremony Friday (July 26) at the Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences.
As spring approaches, some people’s thoughts turn to gardening. Whether it’s a flower garden they desire or a vegetable garden want to have, they begin planning what they’ll plant and what they need to do to ensure a successful garden.
Guest Named Abilene Regional Dean of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing
Heather Guest, Ph.D., R.N., has been named the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) School of Nursing regional dean in Abilene. TTUHSC School of Nursing Dean Holly Wei, Ph.D., R.N., made the announcement, effective Jan. 1, 2025.
Quentin R. Smith, Ph.D., from the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the TTUHSC Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, sought to reconcile discrepancies in the field and provide accurate methods for measuring permeability over a very broad range.