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. Jackie Crossen-Sills is a core faculty member in the Flex Physical Therapy program on the St. Augustine, FL campus. Dr. Crossen-Sills earned a Bachelor of Science in health education from Springfield College, Bachelor of Science in physical therapy from New York University, a Master of Science in physical therapy neurology from the Northeastern University and a Doctor of Philosophy in physical therapy at Nova Southeastern University. Her dissertation topic was, “Using the OASIS to Predict Risk of Falls in Older Adults.”
Dr. Crossen-Sills is an experienced physical therapist with more than 30 years of clinical, instructional and administrative experience. Her experience as a physical therapist clinician, clinical instructor, manager and administrator is diverse, providing care and services to all ages in the areas of acute, neurology, rehabilitation, home health and end of life services. Her research has been published in journals such as Home Health Care Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, and Nursing Clinics of North America.
Dr. Crossen-Sills has presented nationally on topics such as: Transforming Clinical Practice to Meet the Future, Integrative and Innovative Care for the Diabetic Patient on Telehealth, Implementing a Chronic Care Program Utilizing Self- Management, Evidence Based Principles and a Multidisciplinary Approach and Neurological Rehabilitation.
