The Emerging Role of Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants in Liver Transplantation.

The evolving role of nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) in the United States continues to progress. NP and PA responsibilities have expanded from primary care practices to medical and surgical specialties. They provide acute care in hospitals and intensive care units, and they serve as educators, lobbyists, and researchers. Questions have arisen from NP/PA leaders, physician leaders, and administrators on how to best implement a successful NP/PA model within their practice. This article reviews some common themes in the literature by looking at the current state of NP/PA practice, outlines some practice models established therein, and provides recommendations for implementing a successful NP/PA model in a liver transplant practice.