Defining Nurse Practitioner Scope of Practice: Expanding Primary Care Services

INTRODUCTION Fifty-eight million Americans have no insurance coverage,1 with as much as 25% of the population uninsured. As the U. S. Congress continues the debate over universal health coverage, the dynamics of health care have forced numbers of people to seek primary care services. With only onefourth of medical school graduates selecting residencies in the primary care specialities e.g., family medicine, pediatrics, general internal medicine, and obstetrics/gynecology, significant gaps in services compound the urgency. Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are uniquely qualified with advanced practice skills to meet the increased demand for primary care services.