Nurse practitioners and physician assistants are advanced healthcare practitioners with similar responsibilities, such as diagnosing illnesses and prescribing medications. However, their training and paths toward certification differ in significant ways. This blog post unpacks the key differences between NPs and PAs to help you determine which career path best aligns with your goals. What Is a Nurse Practitioner? A nurse practitioner (NP) is a licensed clinician who provides comprehensive healthcare to patients of all ages. An NP can work in virtually any healthcare setting, diagnosing patient conditions and prescribing medications. As of October 2022, nurse practitioners have full practice authority in 27 states, meaning that they can practice Read more
Dr. Fernandez has 35 years of both clinical and leadership experience in providing and promoting rehabilitation services throughout the population’s lifespan. Her clinical experience and specialization include and are not limited to TBI, SCI, CVA, neuro-rehabilitation, adult and pediatric orthopedics, adult and pediatric burns, adult and pediatric movement disorders, dementia, geriatrics, fall prevention education community services, lymphedema, cardiac pulmonary rehabilitation, adult oncology, pediatric community clinics and rehabilitation technology. She has served populations of clients in acute care, post acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient, home health, long-term care environments and contributing to the geriatric community fall prevention evidence-based programs.
Dr. Fernandez has served the profession as adjunct for the Occupational Therapy department in various universities throughout south Florida, as well as participated as an active university advisory board member for Florida International University, Nova Southeastern University and Keiser University. She has held various leadership positions in healthcare throughout South Florida.
