Nurse Practitioner

Class Specifications – H.35
Nurse Practitioner 3 – 9146
Nurse Practitioner 2 – 9147
Nurse Practitioner 1 – 9148

September 1980, Updated August 2026

Series Concept

Nurse Practitioners, following established protocols, conduct physical examinations and treat common episodic and chronic health conditions. They focus on health promotion and disease prevention through patient education and counseling, while also performing additional duties as assigned.

Incumbents conduct in-depth interviews with patients and/or their families, compile comprehensive medical histories, and perform initial and periodic physical examinations. They assess patient behavior and explore patients’ perceptions of their health needs. Incumbents either directly perform or order appropriate diagnostic tests and interpret the results. They develop and implement both short- and long-term treatment plans. Nurse Practitioners collaborate with other healthcare team members, consulting and referring as appropriate, while maintaining responsibility for the patient’s ongoing clinical management.

The series consists of three levels. Nurse Practitioner 3 is the lead/advanced operational level; Nurse Practitioner 2 is the operational level; Nurse Practitioner 1 is the entry-level position.

Class Concepts

Nurse Practitioner 3

Under direction, incumbents are assigned continuing responsibility for leading a group of Nurse Practitioners or are designated expert resource persons based on their advanced academic specialization and/or clinical expertise. Incumbents at this level are assigned more complex cases requiring advanced skills and typically work with greater independence than the Nurse Practitioner 2. In addition to performing duties listed in the Series Concept, Nurse Practitioner 3 incumbents monitor and evaluate the quality of care provided to patients and provide clinical consultation to a variety of health care professionals; identify health problems of patient groups; initiate and maintain liaison with community teaching programs; plan and present staff in-service education; participate in program planning; assist in establishing protocols; conduct teaching programs for nurse practitioner students and clinical staff; or design and conduct research and special studies. Assignments at this level may also involve training, assigning work, and assisting with the selection and evaluation of lower-level Nurse Practitioners.

Nurse Practitioner 2

Under general supervision, incumbents perform operational duties as outlined in the Series Concept, with a focus on providing ongoing direct patient care. Responsibilities at this level primarily involve managing patients with chronic and/or episodic health issues. Additionally, incumbents may occasionally lead community education programs, contribute to program planning, and assist in developing patient education materials.

Most positions are allocated at this level.

Nurse Practitioner 1

Under supervision, incumbents perform most duties outlined in the Series Concept in close collaboration with physicians and/or higher-level nurse practitioners. Assignments generally involve patients with routine health management needs, such as well-patient visits, employee health screenings, and routine physicals. As the entry-level position in the series, incumbents are expected to progress to the Nurse Practitioner 2 level after gaining sufficient experience and clinical judgment in diagnosing and treating patients’ medical conditions, as well as developing the ability to manage complex, multi-system health care issues.

Minimum Qualifications

Incumbents for positions included in the Nurse Practitioner series are expected to possess the legal requirements to practice as a Registered Nurse as determined by the California Board of Registered Nursing; a current certificate of completion from a college or university-based Nurse Practitioner program; and possess the skills, knowledge, and abilities essential to the successful performance of the duties assigned to the position.

Note: Specific qualification requirements are defined for positions by the appropriate user departments.