I have had the pleasure to meet and take care of many of our awesome patients since I joined Impact Sports Medicine in August 2020. However, questions still occasionally arise about what my role is at Impact.

What is a Nurse Practitioner?

You may hear the following interchangeable terms: Nurse Practitioner, NP, Mid-level, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN). Nurse Practitioners are trained to assess patient needs, order and interpret imaging and laboratory tests, diagnose conditions, formulate and prescribe treatment plans, and provide patient education. There are many different Nurse Practitioner Specialty degrees. You commonly see NPs in inpatient and outpatient settings, primary care, and specialist offices, occupational health, the health department, and more!

Are a Nurse Practitioner and a Nurse the same thing?

No, these are not the same roles and have different scopes of practice. A nurse assists providers and has an associates or bachelors degree, whereas an NP requires at least a masters degree and special training through an NP educational program.

Nurse Practitioners function as a provider just like a Medical Doctor (M.D.). In Tennessee, all Nurse Practitioners are required to be under the supervision of a Medical Doctor.

What is the difference between a Nurse Practitioner (NP) and a Physician Assistant (PA)?

These two roles function very similarly with tiny nuances. Both are considered mid-level roles. A Nurse Practitioner is required to be a Registered Nurse (RN) before advancing their training to become an NP.

What is my role at Impact Sports Medicine and Orthopedics?

I see patients independently of, and at times along side, Dr Holmes. This means I can assess and examine patients, interpret imaging and labs, prescribe medications, diagnose conditions, provide treatment plans, perform ultrasound guided injections, and provide education to patients. Overall, think of me as a provider extension of Dr. Holmes.

What else do I want you to know about me as an NP?

Although you will see me independently, Dr. Holmes and I work as a team. This means I discuss patient cases and my decisions with him, and always have him review x-ray and MRI images as well. I want patients to know he is involved in their care, even if you don’t see him directly. Yet, have confidence that I will deliver safe, compassionate, and competent care to get our patients better! I work with my patients as a team to devise decisions that are tailored to each individual, their conditions, and their needs.

Hopefully this provides more clarity on what a Nurse Practitioner is and my role at Impact Sports Medicine and Orthopedics. Looking forward to providing care to y’all in the future!

Taylor Moore, FNP-C

Instagram: @taylormoore_nashvillenp

Facebook: Taylor Moore, FNP-C

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