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. Helen Carey joined the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in March 2020 from the United Kingdom. Dr.Carey qualified as an occupational therapist in 1990 and gained clinical experience in mental health and physical fields in a wide variety of settings. She built a special interest in neurology from 1993 and developed clinical services in acute, outpatient and community services. Latterly her clinical role has been with Reach Rehabilitation Services delivering case management rehabilitation for people with acquired brain injury.
Dr. Carey managed occupational therapy services in Chester, UK from 1996 and delivered a Therapy Director role. In 2006, she supported the establishment of new occupational therapy education at Glyndwr University, North Wales and became a lecturer practitioner eventually leading the occupational therapy service. The subject now delivers occupational therapy part-time and full-time program, physiotherapy and post-registration therapy masters delivery. Dr. Carey gained fellowship funding in 2012 to study the impact of increasing the level of doing for people with ALS and this became the focus of her PhD which she attained in 2017. Dr. Carey has devised the Model of Doing which embraces the delivery of occupational therapy in a rehabilitation context.
Dr. Carey is Chairperson of the North Wales Branch of Motor Neurone Disease Association and a supporter of the Florida Chapter of ALS. She has presented widely regarding the delivery of occupational therapy for people with ALS.
