I read this article in today's Arizona Republic and I wanted to share it here because it was so interesting. It seems that in many cases, a nurse practitioner is replacing doctors for routine appointments. As the article explains, this is often due to a lack of primary care physicians in the offices. Here is the link:
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/02/21/20090221nursepractitioners0220.html
I have often ended up being treated by a nurse practitioner as well, and I have to say, I have found them more often than not to be extremely knowledgeable, unrushed (a rarity these days in the doctor's office), and willing to both talk and listen to me.
So while I'm not happy that there is such a shortage of physicians, I personally think the quality of care I get from NPs is really good.
What has your experience been with nurse practitioners? Do you also end up being treated by one more often that your primary care physician? Have you been as happy with or even more happy with the care you received?
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My chiropractor didn't go to med school and he calls himself "doctor."
I'VE BEEN DUPED!
August 11, 2010 - 6:02pmThis Comment
Anon - Are you saying that your chiropractor doesn't have any training? Here are the requirements for chiropractors practicing in the United States, and they are indeed doctors.
From the National Institutes of Health:
To practice chiropractic care in the United States, a practitioner must earn a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree from a college accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE). CCE is the agency certified by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit chiropractic colleges in the United States. Admission to a chiropractic college requires a minimum of 90 semester hour credits (approximately 3 years) of undergraduate study, mostly in the sciences.
Chiropractic training is a 4-year academic program that includes both classroom work and direct experience caring for patients. Coursework typically includes instruction in the biomedical sciences, as well as in public health and research methods. Some chiropractors pursue a 2- to 3-year residency for training in specialized fields.
Resource: http://nccam.nih.gov/health/chiropractic/
August 11, 2010 - 6:13pmThis Comment
I don't think there was any suggestion that NP's be referred to as "doctors," per se. The point of this discussion is whether NP's are replacing at least part of the traditional doctor's role. I seriously doubt an ethical NP would present herself as anything more. So, I, personally, see absolutely no ambiguity in roles, here.
May 8, 2009 - 6:36pmThis Comment
This was the exact question I had: Are NP's the new doctors? My most recent appointments with doctors in Arizona, for me & my kids has been with a nurse. The doctors office leaves you with no choice since their doctors are booked for months ahead. Although my experience with NP's has been good & I do notice they are less rushed & friendly, I wonder if they are fully qualified to do a doctors job. Are we getting the same level of care? Is a health insurance expecting to pay for a doctor's services or a nurse's services? I am not demeaning the service of a nurse in any way - they are great. But it's odd that it has almost become a norm for the doctors offices to setup you up with a nurse & in one case I was not aware of it until the time of the appt when I asked the person if she was the doctor!
April 21, 2009 - 10:43amThis Comment
In many doctor's offices that are very busy NPs step in and see patients just as much as the actually doctor. In fact, my mom generally sees the NP over the MD when she has a sinus infection because she can get in faster this way.
Additionally, as others have mentioned before, many NPs spend more quality time with patients. As a nursing student, I believe this has a lot to with many NPs once working as RNs. Nurses naturally reach patients on a more personal level, maybe because they see patients more often than doctors and are the ones distributing medications in many cases.
February 23, 2009 - 5:14pmThis Comment
Here in the greater Austin, TX area, it's pretty common to see NP's treating patients because the primary physician has such a tremendous load. I personally think it's a very efficient way to handle patient load, allowing the physician to handle critical cases.
NP's are also running our local "first care" clinics, like Redi-Clinic. A Physician is on hand for consultation; but, the clinics offer routine check-ups, vaccinations and other non-critical care. Costs tend to be lower, as well.
February 23, 2009 - 5:13pmThis Comment
I had a great experience seeing a Nurse Practitioner over the course of about a year. The thing that impressed me the most was that she spent so much time with me -- often up to an hour for a visit, which is of course unheard of with typical doctors.
February 22, 2009 - 9:00pmThis Comment
I agree with the other comments, I would prefer to see a PA or NP. I think this is the future in Health Care. My experience is that NP are able to relate so much better than many doctors.
Kelley
February 22, 2009 - 3:49pmThis Comment
In Ontario, Canada, because of the shortage of doctors, they are setting up new clinics staffed ONLY by nurse practitioners (http://www.thestar.com/article/590827)
I, too, have had great experience with NP's... but there are cases where Doctors are still critical.
February 22, 2009 - 2:09pmThis Comment
I would PREFER a NP over a physician, in most instances.
Nurse Practitioners are not only able to provide medical/clinical care, they are also (typically) better with their bedside manners, time with patients, and are very knowledgeable, trained and experienced in health education, health promotion and overall wellness and lifestyle choices (and do not primarily focus on the traditional medical model of disease prevention).
NPs can be certified in an area of specialty, and those are the professional I trust the most.
February 22, 2009 - 11:12amThis Comment