College of Nursing hosts nurse practitioners Nov. 7, celebrates national week Nov. 11-17

GREENVILLE, N.C.  —   Gale Adcock, director of corporate health services for SAS and Cary town councilwoman, will be the guest speaker for a Wednesday meeting of the Eastern District Nurse Practitioner Council of the North Carolina Nurses Association.

The meeting, preceding National Nurse Practitioner Week Nov. 11-17, will be held at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 7 in Room 1102 in the Health Sciences Building on East Carolina University’s west campus.

Adcock, a family nurse practitioner and 1978 graduate of the ECU College of Nursing, was the college’s 2006 Distinguished Alumni Award winner. She will discuss statewide issues and governance topics related to nurse practitioners.

A nurse practitioner is a registered nurse who has completed a minimum of a master’s degree for certification as a nurse practitioner, providing a broad range of health care services, diagnosis and treatment. They provide some of the same care as and work closely with physicians.

The Nurse Practitioner Council of NCNA is the voice for nurse practitioners, facilitating an exchange of information and ideas on advanced practice issues. The eastern district covers 19 counties including Pitt. Regional liaisons are Helene Reilly of ECU and Cheryl Duke of Pitt County Memorial Hospital.

There are approximately 90,000 nurse practitioners serving in the United States, according to the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

Individuals with disabilities requesting accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act should contact the Department for Disability Support Services at (252) 328-6799 (V) or (252) 328-0899 (TTY).