The future of nurse practitioner practice: a world of opportunity.

Health care is transforming at a rapid pace. Nurses should be leading change and advancing health in this increasingly complex health system. The multiple systemic health care changes occurring secondary to the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act make this an optimal time for full use of nurse practitioners (NPs). This article describes the evolution and future of the NP role, explores the practice in relation to regulation and policy; primary care; acute care; international, global, and cultural issues; and public image, and addresses how NPs must prepare for changing health care environments and consumer demands.
(Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)