A nurse practitioner’s work description is very broad particularly compared to a registered nurse. Education is required for a nurse practitioner to treat patients with complex medical conditions. Often, a nurse practitioner may be an important part of surgical teams involved in complex procedures. A nurse practitioner should be qualified and knowledgeable in diagnosing medical problems, administering medications, conducting examinations, interpreting test results, and performing medical procedures including, though not limited to, emergency treatment, anesthesia, and drug administration.

A nurse practitioner is supposed to be quick, and should be able to make decisions on the spot. In other cases one is often required to either consult or consent with doctors and surgeons. A nurse practitioner is also made responsible for a patient and he or she will report directly to the doctor or physician in whose care the patient is. Nurse practitioner operates full time and often are working in a private practice, health center, or hospital. Many who work in the offices or schools of doctors work during regular business hours while those who work in other medical environments work in shifts to provide patient care round the clock. This covers evenings, weekends, holidays, and on standby. The work can be exhausting physically and emotionally. Nurse practitioners are most of the day on their feet and at the same time appear with other patients. These are vulnerable to back injuries and are frequently exposed to infectious diseases, but a lot of this is preventable with the correct procedures and safety measures.