Article posted Thursday, November 6, 2014 2:35pm

In honor of Nurse Practitioner Week, Nov. 9 – 15, we look at some NP facts.

19

The number of states that have granted full practice authority to Nurse Practitioners. The District of Columbia also has granted full practice authority to NPs. The states with full practice are Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wyoming. For Wisconsin, state practice and licensure law reduces the ability of nurse practitioners to engage in at least one element of NP practice and requires a regulated collaborative agreement with an outside health discipline in order for the NP to provide patient care.

66

Percentage of patients who support legislation for greater access to NP services.

80

The percentage of NPs who chose primary care in 2012, compared to 14.6 percent of physicians who entered a primary care residency the same year.

95

Percentage of NPs who have graduate degrees.

192,000

Number of NPs in America today.

916 million

Number of patient visits to NPs made annually.

Source: American Association of Nurse Practitioners