HOUSTON VA CELEBRATES NURSE PRACTITIONER DAY WITH SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER, FIRST LADY OF TEXAS ANITA PERRY

BACKGROUND: 2009 National Nurse Practitioner Week is Nov. 9 through Nov. 15. With an estimated 600 million visits made to Nurse Practitioners (NPs) each year nationwide according to the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, NPs are in the unique position of being in the forefront in providing direct care to patients. The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center employs more than 40 NPs to care for Veterans in southeast Texas.

NPs are registered nurses who are prepared, through advanced education and clinical training, to provide a wide range of preventive and acute health care services to individuals of all ages. NPs complete graduate-level education preparation that leads to a master’s degree. NPs take health histories and provide complete physical examinations; diagnose and treat many common acute and chronic problems; interpret laboratory results and X-rays; prescribe and manage medications and other therapies; provide health teaching and supportive counseling with an emphasis on prevention of illness and health maintenance; and refer patients to other health professionals as needed.

NPs are authorized to practice across the nation and have prescriptive privileges, of varying degrees, in 49 states. The most recent Health Resources and Services Administration Sample Survey report (2004) shows 141,209 Nurse Practitioners in the United States, an increase of more than 27 percent over 2000 data.

Keynote speaker for the MEDVAMC event, First Lady Anita Perry has a long-standing commitment to and passion for health care issues, which have helped guide her in her role as first lady. Inspired by her father’s life service as a family physician, Mrs. Perry spent 17 years working in the health-care field. After earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing from West Texas State University, now West Texas A&M University, and a master’s degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Mrs. Perry held varied nursing positions in the areas of surgery, pediatrics, intensive care, administration and teaching.