Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioners (PHC NPs) are registered nurses, who are specialists in primary health care, who provide accessible, comprehensive and effective care to clients of all ages. They are experienced nurses with additional nursing education which enables them to provide individuals, families, groups and communities with health services in health promotion, disease and injury prevention, cure, rehabilitation and support.
Nurse Practitioner skills include the ability to:
- provide wellness care including health screening activities such as Pap smears and monitoring infant growth and development
- diagnose and treat minor illnesses
- diagnose and treat minor injuries
- screen for the presence of chronic disease
- monitor people with stable chronic disease
- prescribe certain drugs
- order certain X-rays, ultrasounds and lab tests
