11/5/09 - The University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford celebrates Nurse Practitioner Week, November 8 – 14, 2009. Nurse practitioners (NPs) are registered nurses with advanced academic and clinical experience, and national certification. This enables them to diagnose and manage common and chronic illnesses, both independently and as part of a health care team. Since 1965, NPs have been meeting the healthcare needs of their patients, delivering high-quality, cost-effective, comprehensive care with excellent outcomes. Working in collaboration with a physician, an NP can serve as a patient’s regular health care provider.
There are 125,000 NPs practicing in the United States today. The UIC College of Nursing - Rockford Regional Program trains MS and PhD level nurse practitioners, and educates the majority of the management-level NPs in the area. The College of Medicine is proud that nurse practitioners are present and play a vital role in patient care at the University clinics in Rockford, Rockton, Belvidere and Mt. Morris.
The University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford has served the area since 1971 as a regional academic health science center.