Nurse practitioners provide a wide range of primary health care services, such as conducting physical examinations; diagnosing, treating, and managing illnesses and injuries; ordering tests and interpreting the results; and counseling patients on preventive care; instruct and counsel patients regarding medical problems, use of medications, and compliance with prescribed therapeutic regimens, family planning including medication abortion, emotional problems, eating concerns, preventive health care, and health maintenance; perform procedures and minor surgeries such as injections, immunizations, skin biopsies, suturing and wound care, minor orthopedic procedures, and incisions and draining; perform therapeutic procedures in response to life threatening situations according to protocols; collaborate and consult with physicians and other health care professionals on more complicated health problems and referrals. Possess the abilities and clinical competence required to work as a Nurse Practitioner including, but not limited to, the ability to work independently in assigned areas of practice established by the supervising physician; demonstrate clinical competence in eliciting patient histories, conducting examinations, diagnosing and treating acute and chronic illnesses and injuries, assessing patient needs and making appropriate referrals; use clinical techniques and diagnostic tools; interpret laboratory and other test results; keep current with developments in the medical field pertinent to the incumbent's scope of practice; establish and maintain effective working relationships with other health center staff; be sensitive to and communicate effectively with diverse patients; and, if assigned, provide lead work direction to specified health center support staff.