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
Katelyn Fell’s clinical experience includes a variety of settings, working in acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing, home health and as a travel therapist. In 2015, she joined the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences as a lab instructor, and later as contributing faculty teaching foundational occupational therapy courses. She rejoined USAHS in 2021 as core faculty. Additionally, Fell was a faculty member at A.T. Still University in Mesa, AZ from 2019-2021. Her practice area of interest includes working with older adults, and her research interests include gerontology, health and wellbeing among older adults, community-based programs for older adults, and teaching and learning.
Fell earned her Master of Occupational Therapy from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in 2011. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Leadership and Gerontology from Concordia University Chicago.
