At Cardio Texas, you will be seen and treated by a comprehensive team of caretakers which includes physicians, clinical nurse specialists and nurse practitioners.
The role of the Clinical Nurse Specialist/Nurse Practitioner at Cardio Texas
Cardio Texas has three advanced practice providers (APPs) as part of the care team within the medical practice. All are Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) and or Nurse Practitioners (NP). They play a critical role to help assure that patients are provided with the highest quality of care.
Clinical Nurse Specialists are licensed by the State of Texas and can prescribe medication. All have had rigorous clinical training and have taken national board exams to certify them in their areas of expertise. They must complete a set curriculum of continuing education each year, just as your physician is required to do to maintain their license. They all work in collaboration with a physician both in the outpatient clinic setting as well as in the hospital setting.
Once you have established care with your physician, you may meet them at your follow-up visits or in consultation at the hospital. Their first and foremost focus is patient safety. This is done, for example, through ordering and reviewing labs or other tests, changing medications, or helping monitor blood pressure or heart failure symptoms. They spend time with patients to help them understand disease processes, interpret test results, educate on prevention and answer questions.
There is never an extra cost when you see the CNS or NP. You may see their name on some of the records or billing at times as they extensively document in patient’s charts. If you ever have any questions about the role of the CNS or NP, please ask!