Although her position does not allow her to perform the same level of care as a physician, she can do things that registered nurses can’t, such as write prescriptions.

“We work under the scope of our physicians, but there is also a lot of autonomy,” Burkett said. “I get to spend a lot of time with patients. I’ve cried with patients, prayed with patients … whatever it calls for.”

There are more than 205,000 nurse practitioners in the United States, according to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. There are about 3,100 nurse practitioners in Alabama. Salaries can range broadly, but the average salary in Alabama is about $97,000 per year, according to nursejournal.org.

Nurse practitioner candidates must pass medical boards for certification. Licenses are issued by the Alabama Board of Nursing.

Physicians who choose to use nurse practitioners as part of their practice say they provide an invaluable service.

“The patient population is way too large for the physician,” said Dr. Brian Wiethop, who practices at Dothan Medical. “Nurse practitioners see new patients in accordance with doctors’ guidance. A care plan is formed between the two of us and a lot of follow up care is performed by the practitioner.”