AUSTIN – Nurse practitioners (NPs) play a crucial role in providing health care to Texans of all ages everywhere in our state. The value of a diversified, skilled health care workforce has never been more clear than during the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Abbott has formally recognized Nurse Practitioner Week 2020 in Texas, which runs from November 8-14. This week marks and celebrates the dedicated NPs who, especially this year, have served, sacrificed, and helped save lives in clinics and hospitals throughout Texas and across the country.

 

“The strength and scale of the COVID-19 pandemic changed all of our lives this year, to a degree nobody could have imagined, and nowhere is that more evident than in the community of our health care providers,” said TNP President Christy Blanco. “I am proud to be a nurse practitioner, and proud of the critical work we as a profession have done over the past year, directly and indirectly, to help the people of Texas heal and recover in the midst of this ongoing global crisis.”

 

There are more than 27,000 NPs in Texas, highly-trained and experienced health care practitioners who provide trusted, reliable care within specialized areas of focus. Many NPs are providing that care in medically underserved areas and communities across our state.

 

An NP is a registered nurse who has advanced graduate education and clinical training in a specific area of health care. NPs provide a number of health care services to Texans, such as physical examinations, women’s health services, diagnosing and treating acute and chronic illnesses, psychological counseling, and health education, to name a few. In Texas, 80% of NPs are licensed in an area of primary care. Other specialties include psychiatric mental health, geriatric, and neonatal NPs. 

 

Texas’ population is growing, with thousands of people moving here every year, and many people living in rural counties or areas of the state that are traditionally underserved. NPs are in growing demand to help meet our expanding health care needs. To find out more about NPs, and this rewarding profession, visit: https://www.texasnp.org/page/NPVoice