Indianapolis--May is Women’s Health Month and this month, Hancock Health is spotlighting those dedicated to helping Hoosier women.
May 6 -12 is also National Nurses Week. Nurse practitioners are often the unsung, or even unknown piece of the health professional puzzle. Many people may be unfamiliar with nurse practitioners and what they do, but they are an important piece in patient health. Especially for those perhaps needing some additional help in their health journey.
“Our appointment times are a little bit longer so we’re really able to get to know our patients which is a huge benefit,” Hancock Health Nurse Practitioner Danae Young said.
Nurse practitioners are nurses who have additional training and certifications that allow them to do many of the same things a doctor can do. They can be your primary care provider, do exams, order tests, prescribe medication, diagnose and help treat health conditions, and help you take a deeper dive into what you need. They work side by side with physicians to make sure patients are getting the best care.
“As a nurse practitioner, I do have a lot of autonomy to care for patients. Whether that’s a routine physical exam, whether that’s ordering and interpreting lab labs, imaging, prescribing medication, all of those things, I have the ability to do that. I do work with collaborating physician, but a lot of my work is autonomous,” Young said.
Like Young, who specializes in OBGYN, nurse practitioners can specialize in certain fields. Women’s health is a crucial one. Young said that often comes with deep medical dives, but also staying up to date and adjusting to legislative changes as well.
“Women’s healthcare, whether it’s fortunate or unfortunate, is always in the news for something or the other. And I like to stay up-to-date and spend a lot of time walking my patient through what their options are in terms of their reproductive healthcare, and general health and well-being too,” she said.
If you’re not already using one, it’s possible a nurse practitioner can be right for you. You can find more information on Hancock Health’s website.