The NPAs website has more information and below are some talking points regarding NP practice in New York when talking to key stakeholders:

• Nurse Practitioners, also known as NPs, are registered nurses with advanced education who provide primary, acute and specialty care in 16 specialties recognized by New York State.
   
• Nurse practitioners in New York State practice in a collaborative relationship with physicians and other health care providers.
   
• The number of NPs licensed in New York State grew by 1163 or nearly 7% during calendar year 2011 (the most recently available statistic).
   
• There are currently nearly 17,000 NPs licensed in New York State.
   
• NPs were granted title and scope of practice in 1988 and are now an essential part of patient care throughout New York State.
   
• NPs hold Master's degrees and many hold Doctorate degrees as well as advanced education and clinical training.
   
• NPs provide a full range of health care services including ordering, performing and interpreting diagnostic tests; diagnosing and treating acute and chronic conditions; prescribing medications and treatments; managing overall patient care while emphasizing wellness/health promotion and disease prevention.
   
• NPs offer high quality cost effective patient centered care to their patients.
   
• Patients whose primary care providers are NPs have fewer emergency room visits and shorter hospital stays, resulting in lower out-of-pocket expenses. (Bauer, J.C. 2010. Journal Of The American Academy Of Nurse Practitioners, 22(4), 228-231.)
   
• New York State recognized the value of NPs through the governor's Medicaid Redesign Team (MRT) emphasis on "Recruit and retain more ...Nurse Practitioners, especially access challenged regions of New York..." as part of an effort to "Ensure Universal Access to High-Quality Primary Care".
   
• NPs approach patient care from the perspective of the whole person; emphasizing health and well-being, by coaching patients so they make educated health care decisions and healthy lifestyle choices.
   
• A significant number of nurse practitioners practice in underserved and health disparate regions.
   
• NPs support Joining forces - a White house initiative to raise awareness of the unique health issues affecting America's military, veterans and their families.
   
• Patient confidence in NP care is evidenced by patients choosing nurse practitioner partnered care and the millions of patient visits made annually in New York State.