This timeline provides a great overview of how the NP role was developed in the US.

This article focuses on the Nurse Practitioners contribution to primary care. Randomized trials were performed to help us better understand how Nurse Practitioners compare to Primary Care Physicians in the eyes of patients. Conclusions showed that patients outcomes were equivalent in their satisfaction, physical, social and emotional functioning when compared to seeing a Physician versus a Nurse Practitioner. It was also found during the studies that lower costs of care was associated with NP's.