National Nurse Practitioner Week Opens From Austin: 461,000 NPs, a Billion Visits a Year
The American Association of Nurse Practitioners — headquartered in Austin — opened National NP Week, November 8-14, with the profession at 461,000 strong and projected to grow 41 percent over the decade.
AUSTIN — National Nurse Practitioner Week, November 8-14, opened Monday from Austin, where the American Association of Nurse Practitioners is headquartered — and the association's own numbers describe a profession near the center of American health care: more than 461,000 licensed nurse practitioners, conducting nearly a billion patient visits a year.
According to the AANP's release, nurse practitioners evaluate patients, order and interpret diagnostic tests, diagnose illnesses, prescribe medications, manage chronic conditions and provide preventive care, practicing in clinics, hospitals, emergency rooms, urgent care centers, nursing homes and private practices. Governors, mayors and other officials across the country have issued proclamations honoring the week. U.S. News & World Report has named the NP role the No. 1 job in America for the third consecutive year.
'NP Week is about recognizing the extraordinary impact nurse practitioners have on patients every day,' AANP President Valerie Fuller said in the release. 'NPs are caring for patients, helping families navigate important health decisions and bringing high-quality care closer to home.'
The growth behind the week is official, not just celebratory: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects NP employment will grow 41 percent between 2025 and 2035 — faster than any other occupation, the association notes. For Austin, NP Week is also a hometown story: the largest professional organization for the profession runs from here, and its annual week puts the city's health-workforce footprint on the national calendar through Saturday, November 14.
