I was over at Kim's place at Emergiblog and she has a great post about Physician extenders. I, of course, put my two cents in on the subject.
It still amazes me just how little people understand about how we take care of patients. The term Physician Extender gives people the impression that I am hanging onto my collaborating MD's elbow waiting for him to approve my every decision regarding my patients. Most of the time, he has no input at all. If I need some advice, I will ask him to review a chart or come into a patient's room with me and we discuss the case like two intelligent individuals. In fact, he sometimes (imagine that!) even comes to find me for advice as well.
I don't understand why doctors and nurse practitioners and physician's assistants can't all just work toward the same goals for patients. Yes, I know that there is an educational difference. Yes, I know that I didn't attend medical school for as long as you did. Yes, I know that some of the old schools docs still think that I am pretending to be a doctor and that if I wanted to treat patients in the same capacity that I should go to school to "be a real doctor".
Enough already! Get over the fact that we are already doing pretty much the same care with the same quality outcomes. No, I don't want the same money for the job. I don't have the exact same education, so I don't deserve the exact same pay. Oh my gosh! Did I just say that?
All I want is to be recognized as the primary medical care provider that I am. I am a great listener and I am continually learning and adapting to my surroundings in the field. I love my job and would like to be allowed to practice to the maximum capacity of my abilities for one ultimate goal...
Great patient care. 'Nuff said.
It is so sad that other health care professional forget to respect one another even if we all have the same goal. Can they still imagine a hospital without us or should we show them??
ReplyDeleteThis is Victoria, Editor for infectionwatch.info which is an informational site for different infections and infectious diseases. We have emailed you because we have interest in collaborating with you and your blog to help us spread the information. I look forward to an email regarding the matter, Thanks!
ReplyDeleteinfectionwatch.info
infectionwatch@gmail.com
Amen to that sister, is all I have to say!
ReplyDeleteTexas Nursing Schools, I think that some of the hospitals have seen that first hand with nursing strikes. It's not a pretty sight. We should all work as a team.
ReplyDelete"Yes, I know that I didn't attend medical school for as long as you did" You didn't attend MEDICAL SCHOOL. You passed some dumbed down online classes. If you want docs to respect you go take the USMLE.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, My online Master's level medical classes covered much the same as a medical doctor's classes. I didn't go to a medical doctor's college, I went to a Nurse Practitioner program and it was not all online. I have no interest in going to a doctor's medical school at this point in my life. I am in my early 40's and enjoy taking care of my patients in collaboration with my doctor partner.
ReplyDeleteDo you really believe a NP's education is "much the same" as a physician's? If you do, go take the USMLE and prove it. Fact is, its nowhere near what a medical education provides. There is no such this as a doctor's medical school and a nurses medical school. There are people smart enough and motivated enough to be physicians and there are people who are not.
ReplyDeleteI would take the USMLE if they would allow it Anonymous. A doctor that I work collaboratively with has over 40 years experience as a physician and he suggested that I challenge the test if it was allowed. I learned a lot of things that medical docs did and I wish that they could learn what we know too. It's a combined effort out here for the good of our patients.
ReplyDelete