Nursing Burn Out is a Real Thing – One Nurse’s Story
April 30, 2014National Nurses Week 2014
May 5, 2014[responsive]
[/responsive]New York State implemented a law that goes into effect next year allowing Nurse Practitioners to see patients without a collaborating physician. Nurses with advanced degrees work under their Registered Nursing license, as of now NP’s have to enter into a collaborative agreement with a physician. Starting in 2015, nurses can say goodbye to their physician and hang a shingle. Many wonder if this is a good idea. Physician’s not only go through 4 years of medical school, but an internship and residency. NP’s have a Master’s Degree with clinical hours under either an NP or MD in primary care.
The argument is that the NPs do not have the education and training that MDs have. As a nurse, I have to say that nurses are trained to see the entire patient from the start of their RN program. We learn assessment skills and have the responsibility to know what medication we are administering and as RNs we have the right to refuse giving a medication, or to question the order. Physicians spend medical school and internships rotating through specialty areas as well as primary care. The NPs that I know who are in primary practice typically take a great amount of time with their patients as well as seeing the total patient. A nurse practitioner is also going to refer a patient to a specialist (as primary care physicians do) if they see something or suspect the need for further follow up.
The need for independent NPs is threefold. The baby boomers are aging and are going to need greater access to healthcare. On the opposite end, The Affordable Care Act is going to bring a flood of newly insured patients into healthcare. Finally more physicians are going into specialty areas due to Primary Care being one of the lowest paying specialties. It is my very biased opinion that Nurse Practitioners have the ability, skill and knowledge to be excellent primary care practitioners.
5 Comments
Recently I had an appointment to see my primary care physician . Whe I arrived for my appointment I was told that my dr was behind in seeing her patients and that I would have to wait at least 2 hours .i will tell you . I was not happy . The reception it’s told me that the NP was available to see me . I was hesitant . I ended up seeing the NP . She was amazing she assessed my symptoms and gave me a prescription for an antibiotic . I will never hesitate to see an NP again. She provided excellent care.
While there is an argument that nurse practitioners should not see patients without physicians I disagree. While they might not have the extensive knowledge that physicians have, they are qualified to see patients on their own. As stated above there is going to be a greater demand due to the ACA, therefore the NP’s will be helpful in providing greater healthcare for the growing need.
Nice article Maria. I was unaware of this change was actually going to happen. Though this change can be seen great in the eyes of NPs; one major question that I have is will people stop going to school to be MDs because they can prescribe and practice as an NP now?
When I first started college many years ago now, I wanted to be a psychiatrist who can prescribe medication, not a psychologist. To be a psychiatrist you must be an MD as well. Lots of people in my program were speaking at the time to stay as psychology majors and become an NP as well, because you are able to prescribe medications and it is less schooling than an MD program.
Its nice to see some progressive innovation in the medical industry. Prior to working at Horizon I would say I shared the hestistion to have a NP evaluate me rather than a doctor. However, my time.at Horizon has showed me just how professional and hardworking some nurses can be.
Prior to starting at Horizon I would of been in that camp that would of been uncomfortable with an NP evaluating me but I’ve met some incredible NPs here and would happy to be assessed by a nurse.