A nurse practitioners (NP) is a nurse who has completed additional medical training and met the professional standards established by a national organization.

A nurse practioner may provide a broad range of preventive and acute health care services to individuals of all ages, including the following:

• Taking the patient's history and performing a physical exam
• Ordering lab tests
• Diagnosing and treating diseases
• Writing prescriptions
• Referring patients to other medical professionals as needed
• Providing patient education and supportive counseling
• Performing certain procedures, such as a lumbar puncture

Some nurse practitioners work in clinics without doctor supervision, while others work together with doctors as a part of the medical team. Some of the responsibilities of a nurse practtioner can vary state to state, depending on state laws. 

Nurse practitioners must show proof of continuing medical education. Only board certified nurse practitioners may use a "C" either in front of or behind their other credentials (e.g., FNP-C implies Board Certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner). 

Texas licenses nurse practitioners (and others) as APRNs, which stands for Advanced Practice Registered Nurse.  This is a broader category that also includes clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse midwives, and nurse anesthetists.  Providers with APRN, FNP-C are therefore Advanced Practice Registerd Nurses with Board Certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner.