The cardiology Nurse pratitioner

The cardiology nurse practitioner (NP) contributes to the improvement of care for hospitalised or ambulatory cardiac patients through advanced nursing care and medical treatments.

The nurse practitioner focuses on patients' conditions as well as the effects of illness on the lives of the patients and their families; 70 % of her time is devoted to direct patient care and the other 30 % is for teaching, research and consultation . MHI actually employs one nurse practitioner dedicated to heart failure patients. Another NP will join her in september 2007.

A nurse practitioner's duties, aside from regular nursing activities, include the following five activities regulated by article 36.1 of the Nurses law:

• Prescribing diagnostic exams
• Performing invasive diagnostic studies
• Prescribing medications and other substances
• Prescribing medical treatments
• Performing invasive medical techniques or treatments