Role and Effectiveness of Nurse Practitioner in Neurosurgical Field

Cho, Kyung Gi

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to identify and explain the role and effectiveness of nurse practitioners(NPs) in the field of neurosurgery. The role of nurse practitioner has expanded over the past 15 years in the areas of administration, clinical activities, counseling, and surgical assistance. One primary activity of the NPs in our department is the frequent periodic neurological examination and rapid detection of deteriorating critical patients. They also improve the rapport between the patients and neurosurgery service and cover wevere manpower shortage or resident staffs. The department of neurosurgery in the hospital can maintain adequate coverage for the neurosurgical patients without increasing the number of residents. The author believes that NPs can improve the quality of care and outcome in a cost-effective manner. Concerns with acceptance and the role of neurosurgical NPs are clearly no longer on issue.