A Nurse Practitioner (NP) is a registered nurse who has earned a graduate or doctoral degree, receiving advanced education and clinical training in a health care specialty.  NPs provide  high quality cost effective care that focuses on the emotional, spiritual, and physical healthcare needs of  patients and families.  This unique approach to care results in high levels of patient satisfaction. NPs aim to treat the whole person rather than just the disease.  There is an abundance of research that supports NP care provides the following benefits: lower medical costs,  less invasive testing and procedures,  superior outcomes,  and more patient involement which leads to overall better health.