Answers (1)
Yes--they are highly trained nurses--equivalent to having a masters degree. But it will depend on the state they practice in whether they can prescribe certain medications. As far as diagnoses go, they can give a professional opinion by coding a medical visit and filing for reimbursement from insurance companies. That just takes using the ICD-9 to assign expenses for the visit according to medical condition. In all situations, you might want to consider getting another opinion--medicine is an art--not an exact science, and it is practiced by professionals of varying abilities regardless if it is a MD, DO, NP or PA that is doing the diagnosing. So don't freak out if you don't like the diagnosis--it could be wrong.