Nurse practitioners continue to play a critical role in the battle against COVID. From their extensive clinical skillsets to crisis management and leadership capabilities, here’s what makes NPs so valuable for healthcare organization.

<p>Nurse practitioners continue to play a critical role in the battle against COVID. These providers bring an unparalleled lineup of traits that make them particularly suited to the task. Healthcare leaders across the nation are finding that nurse practitioners are a critical part of the solution during this latest surge.</p>

<p>Nurse practitioners are particularly well-positioned to help healthcare organizations in the battle against COVID for many reasons. Once more limited, the nurse practitioner&rsquo;s scope of practice has vastly expanded and now encompasses an array of healthcare settings, clinical skills, and educational training (<a href="https://www.aanp.org/advocacy/advocacy-resource/position-statements/scope-of-practice-for-nurse-practitioners" target="_blank">AANP</a>). But that&rsquo;s not all. Here&rsquo;s why nurse practitioners can be the secret weapon leaders need to handle the Delta surge.</p>

<h3>Extensive Clinical Skillset</h3>

<p>Nurse practitioners&rsquo; ability to provide patient care has expanded over the years. Their growing clinical autonomy and extensive skillset couldn&rsquo;t be more timely &ndash; as the relentless coronavirus pandemic compounded with a growing physician shortage makes NPs invaluable for healthcare. NPs can assess and diagnose patients; order, perform, supervise, and interpret diagnostic and lab tests; initiate and manage treatment, prescribe medication, and counsel and educate patients and families.</p>

<h3>Delivery of Specialized Care</h3>

<p>While nurse practitioners who are generalists are essential in providing comprehensive care for patients with and without COVID, those who specialize may be exceptionally valuable in battling the pandemic during this time. NPs who hold specializations in acute care, cardiac care, pediatrics, gerontology, and <a href="https://www.crosscountryhealthcare.com/blogs/increasing-demand-for-behavioral-health-due-to-covid-19" target="_blank">behavioral healthcare</a> are in high demand and can fortify healthcare facilities in the face of this Delta wave.</p>

<h3>Telehealth Services</h3>

<p>The widespread adoption of telehealth during the pandemic has expanded nurse practitioners&rsquo; ability to deliver virtual care, reducing the risk of viral transmission while ensuring uninterrupted access to care for many Americans. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7395209/" target="_blank">Telehealth</a> has shown to be particularly effective for patients who are isolated or in rural areas, and telehealth may prove to reduce morbidity and mortality during the COVID outbreak.</p>

<h3>Crisis Management and Leadership Capabilities</h3>

<p>Nurse practitioners can be instrumental in managing crises and leading staff through COVID surges. A recent study found nurse practitioners who were trained in responding to and preventing emergencies and safety crises reported high levels of crisis leadership efficacy (<a href="https://www.npjournal.org/article/S1555-4155(15)00665-0/fulltext" target="_blank">The Journal for Nurse Practitioners</a>). Further research shows ICU advanced practitioners demonstrated improvement in leadership, self-confidence, teamwork, and medical crisis management with crisis training (<a href="https://journals.lww.com/jtrauma/Abstract/2011/08000/Short_Simulation_Training_Improves_Objective.9.aspx" target="_blank">The Journal for Trauma and Acute Care Surgery</a>).</p>

<h3>Relaxed Licensure and Expanded Range and Scope of Practice</h3>

<p>Regulatory flexibility in response to the coronavirus has expanded nurse practitioners&rsquo; ability to care for patients. States have <a href="https://www.aanp.org/advocacy/state/covid-19-state-emergency-response-temporarily-suspended-and-waived-practice-agreement-requirements" target="_blank">waived and suspended</a> certain practice requirements for nurse practitioners regarding <a href="https://www.aanp.org/advocacy/state/state-practice-environment" target="_blank">collaboration and supervision</a>. This grants most NPs autonomy of practice. Further, some governors have urged boards to license <a href="https://www.aanp.org/advocacy/state/emergency-state-licensure-covid-19-response" target="_blank">volunteer, inactive, retired, or out-of-state professionals</a>, increasing health leaders&rsquo; access to NPs.</p>

<h3>An Expanding Workforce</h3>

<p>There are nearly 300,000 nurse practitioners in the nation, with tens of thousands of NPs in the educational pipeline (<a href="https://www.aanp.org/about/all-about-nps/np-fact-sheet#:~:text=There%20are%20more%20than%20290%2C000,NPs)%20licensed%20in%20the%20U.S.&amp;text=More%20than%2030%2C000%20new%20NPs,academic%20programs%20in%202018%E2%80%932019." target="_blank">AANP</a>). The vast majority of these providers prescribe medications, work full time, and accept Medicare and Medicaid patients. Nearly half hold hospital privileges. The sheer numbers of NPs make them a formidable force in the fight against COVID.</p>

<h3>Rigorous Training and Background</h3>

<p>The rigor and extent of nurse practitioners&rsquo; education and training cannot be understated. They are licensed, independent practitioners who hold master&rsquo;s or doctorate degrees and board certification. Health leaders can be assured that nurse practitioner training is designed to equip providers to deliver care that is safe, high-quality, patient-centered, and cost-effective.</p>

<h3>Versatility Across Healthcare Settings</h3>

<p>Today&rsquo;s healthcare leaders use nurse practitioners at hospitals, clinics, private practices, Veterans Affairs, Indian Health Care facilities, emergency rooms, urgent care sites, nursing homes, schools, colleges, public health departments, homeless clinics, home health, rural health facilities, critical access hospitals, and nearly every other healthcare setting.</p>

<h3>Cost-Effective Care with Comparable Clinical Outcomes</h3>

<p>Research over several decades has shown that nurse practitioners are cost-effective providers of high-quality care (<a href="https://www.aanp.org/advocacy/advocacy-resource/position-statements/position-statements" target="_blank">AANP</a>). Comparisons of salaries, productivity, and hospital profits show favorability. Further, studies show similar clinical outcomes and consistencies in treatment practices, prescribing behavior, and health status between physicians and nurse practitioners (<a href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hpb20121025.457840/full/" target="_blank">Health Affairs</a>).</p>

<h3>Patient Satisfaction</h3>

<p>Studies have shown that patients who saw nurse practitioners reported higher levels of satisfaction with their care, especially regarding time spent on consultation, screening, assessment, counseling and patient follow-up (<a href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hpb20121025.457840/full/" target="_blank">Health Affairs</a>). Researchers attribute this to the patient-centered approach of the NP training, often focused on social and cultural sensitivity as well as care coordination. These characteristics can be incredibly valuable in the fight against COVID.</p>

<h2>How we can help</h2>

<p>In a marketplace that is continually facing both funding and workplace shortages, Cross Country Healthcare possesses the experience and resources to effectively and efficiently deliver complete and comprehensive workforce solutions and staffing services &ndash; including temporary, permanent, and travel nurse practitioners. Connect with a <a href="https://www.crosscountryhealthcare.com/contact-us">member of our team</a> today.</p>


Why Nurse Practitioners Can Be Your Secret Weapon During the Delta Surge