National Nurse Practitioner Week Runs Nov. 8-14, and Austin's AANP Puts the Count at 461,000
The profession's national week is being led from Austin: the American Association of Nurse Practitioners opened National NP Week on Monday by counting more than 461,000 licensed nurse practitioners — and a federal projection that their ranks will grow 41 percent by 2035.
AUSTIN — National Nurse Practitioner Week runs Nov. 8-14, and the count from the profession's Austin-based association is more than 461,000 licensed nurse practitioners practicing across the United States. The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), which describes itself as the largest professional membership organization for nurse practitioners and NP students in the country, opened the week Monday with proclamations from governors, mayors and other officials honoring the role.
"NP Week is about recognizing the extraordinary impact nurse practitioners have on patients every day," AANP President Valerie Fuller said in the association's announcement. "NPs are caring for patients, helping families navigate important health decisions and bringing high-quality care closer to home."
The scale behind the week is in the association's figures: nurse practitioners conduct nearly a billion patient visits a year, in clinics, hospitals, emergency rooms, urgent care centers, nursing homes and private practices, and U.S. News & World Report has named the job the No. 1 Job in America for the third consecutive year.
The growth is the story Austin's health economy will feel: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects nurse practitioner employment will grow 41 percent between 2025 and 2035 — faster than any other occupation in the federal count. The week runs through Saturday, Nov. 14.
