Pocatello, Chubbuck Mayors to Proclaim Nov. 6-12 Nurse Practitioner Week

Idaho State University’s School of Nursing will showcase the role of the nurse practitioner (NP) November 6-12, 2022, as NPs across the country celebrate more than 50 years of practice during National Nurse Practitioner Week.

A proclamation ceremony at 9 a.m. on Friday, November 11 will acquaint local citizens with the role of NPs as providers of high-quality, cost-effective, personalized health care and will highlight the value of choosing an NP for primary, acute and specialty care.

In the United States, this distinguished group of health care professionals number approximately 325,000 strong, with 1401 in Idaho and 75 in Bannock County. Nationally, an additional 25,000 NP students graduate each year. Full practice authority for NPs began with Idaho being the first state in the nation, granting patients full and direct access to the outstanding care offered by these health care professionals.

Pocatello Mayor Brian Blad and Chubbuck Mayor Kevin England will give the proclamation in the main lobby of the Beckley Nursing Building on ISU’s Pocatello campus, with a brief reception to follow.

The proclamation ceremony in Pocatello is just one of many events held in communities around the country to recognize the unique combination of nursing and health care service NP practice offers to patients. Focusing not only on diagnosing and managing acute and chronic illnesses, NPs integrate health promotion, disease prevention, counseling and patient education to help patients understand their complete health picture.

In a population that is aging, with baby boomers becoming seniors in growing numbers over the next 10 years, having choices about health care providers will become even more important. National NP Week brings visibility to the role of the NP, helping consumers make wise choices when selecting their health care provider.

To learn more about NPs, log on to the AANP website at aanp.org. AANP is the largest professional membership organization for NPs in all specialties and includes more than 90,000 individual members and 200 organizations. To locate an NP in your community, visit npfinder.com.