A nurse practitioner (NP) is a registered nurse who has advanced education (usually has a master’s degree) and clinical training. Most NPs also specialize in specific areas such as adult, pediatric, family, or women’s health. Practicing under state rules and regulations, NPs provide clinical health services for the acute and chronically ill, along with a focus on health promotion, disease prevention, and health education and counseling. NPs can also provide prescriptive medications.