nurse practitioner
(… prak-TIH-shuh-ner)
A registered
nurse who has additional education and training in how to diagnose and treat
disease.
Nurse practitioners are licensed at the
state level and certified by national nursing
organizations. In cancer care, a nurse practitioner may manage the
primary care of patients and their families, based on a practice agreement with a doctor. Also called advanced practice nurse, APN, and NP.