Physician Directory - Specialty Descriptions Following is a list of physician specialties followed by descriptions. Once you find the specialty you are looking for, click on one of the following links to find a physician. - Find a physician by name. Find a physician by location. Find a physician by specialty. Using This Database: Click on the black triangles on the title bar to change the sort order. Click on a blue triangle to expand or collapse that category. Specialty Description A Nurse Practitioner (NP) is a primary care provider who practices in ambulatory, acute and long term care settings. According to their practice specialty these primary care providers provide nursing and medical services to individuals, families and groups. In addition to diagnosing and managing acute episodic and chronic illnesses, NPs emphasize health promotion and disease prevention. NPs are often responsible for ordering, conducting and interpreting diagnostic and laboratory tests, and prescription of pharmacologic agents and pharmacologic therapies. Teaching and counseling individuals, families and groups are a major part of a Nurse Practitioner's practice. Expand  |  Collapse