Which of the following professionals are considered physician extenders?

Physician extenders refer to healthcare professionals who are able to perform certain responsibilities and provide care under the supervision or collaboration with a physician, thereby extending the physician's reach. Nurse Practitioners, Clinical Nurse Specialists, and Physician Assistants fit this definition well as they are trained to assess patients, diagnose conditions, and sometimes prescribe medications, thereby allowing them to fulfill roles that help alleviate some of the workload from physicians.

Nurse Practitioners, for example, have advanced training that allows them to operate with a high degree of autonomy, often managing patient care independently but still within the framework that connects them to physicians. Clinical Nurse Specialists also have a focused area of practice and contribute to patient care through specialized knowledge and skills. Physician Assistants, similarly, work closely with physicians, handling everything from patient examinations to minor procedures and are an integral part of healthcare teams.

While Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses play crucial roles in patient care, they do so primarily in supportive capacities rather than as physician extenders. Similarly, Pharmacists and Laboratory Technicians provide essential services but are not typically recognized as extending the role of a physician. Social Workers and Occupational Therapists focus on the psychosocial and rehabilitative aspects of care, respectively, but do not engage directly in