Most people know that the initials RN after someone’s name means registered nurse.
MD? Medical doctor. DO? Doctor of osteopathic medicine.
But have you ever wondered what the other initials after a caregiver’s name, such as APRN, NP or PA-C, mean?
“You’ll likely encounter an advanced practice provider when you go to a Walk-In Clinic, in the emergency department, when you visit a specialist in the office, during a surgical procedure or even during an inpatient stay in the hospital,” said Anita See, PA-C, a physician assistant with Endeavor Health. “You may see an APP as your primary care provider.”
Depending on the specialty, advanced practice providers (APPs), also called advanced practice clinicians (APCs), have at least six and up to eight years of education, hold board certifications and are licensed by the state. APPs complete continuing education, like other healthcare providers, and must renew their certification on a regular basis.
Here are some of the types of APPs you could see:
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN): An APRN is a registered nurse who goes on to earn a master’s degree or a doctorate degree in nursing and is board certified. They can function as primary care providers, seeing patients, conducting exams and prescribing medicine. They also collaborate with doctors when necessary to ensure that patients receive the highest level of care possible.
There are several types of APRNs, including:
- Certified Nurse Practitioner (CNP)/Nurse Practitioner (NP): CNPs/NPs earn master’s degrees in a nursing-based program. Many have years of experience working as nurses before they earn their advanced degree. Some work in a primary care capacity, others work in specialties such as pediatrics, women’s health or oncology.
- Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS): A CNS is certified in a specialty of choice, such as adult health, adult-gerontology, pediatrics, or adult or child psychiatric mental health.
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA): A CRNA is certified in anesthesia.
- Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM): A CNM specializes in women's reproductive health and childbirth, as well as preventive women's health maintenance.
- Physician Assistant (PA-C): PAs are licensed healthcare professionals who work in collaboration with physicians: seeing patients, conducting physical exams, offering diagnoses and prescribing medicine like a doctor. They’re educated in a medicine-based program at the master’s degree level and undergo much of the same training a physician would, only their degree requires two years of study while medical school takes four years to complete.
Advanced practice providers provide many benefits to patients as they navigate their healthcare, including:
- Convenience: One benefit of choosing an APP is convenience — they typically have same-day or next day appointments, and many provide extended office hours and flexible appointment scheduling.
- Accessibility: APPs can be found in our primary care medical group offices, hospitals, Immediate Care Centers and Walk-In Clinics and can manage common illnesses and injuries.
- Expertise: APPs have extensive education and experience in treating and diagnosing illnesses, managing chronic diseases, and recommending preventive measures such as health screenings and healthy living behaviors.
- Personalization: APPs often spend time building relationships with patients to gain insight into their medical history and unique healthcare goals and preferences.
“Nurse practitioners and physician assistants often work in collaboration with doctors,” See said. “Advanced practice providers are an important part of the medical team. They are licensed healthcare providers who care for patients in all settings and specialties, providing high-quality care to our patients and communities.”
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