Works independently and with autonomous collaboration with physician to provide complete physical examinations, diagnosis, and treatment of both chronic and episodic disorders. Ensures proper illness and injury care and disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. The Nurse Practitioner works within a collaborative model to provide quality care and to improve patient outcomes by strengthening continuity of care in all settings for patients, families, and staff in both the hospital and physician practice settings. When department/case applicable, the Nurse Practitioner (NP) remains responsible for the patient throughout the course of the treatment, provides the physical examination, the diagnosis, and the health care plan, determines when the patient has recovered, and releases the patient. The NP may refer the patient to physicians for consultation or to specialized health resources for treatment but retains responsibility for clinical management as well as any subsequent medication.