Any nurse practitioners out there? Can you give a description

[hedgehog]

of how you would work with a family doctor, maybe with some examples such as child with asthma, adult with hypothyroidism etc?

[nightrain]

1. many NPs are independent practitioners and learn how to

provide primary care, just like physicians learn--through books and clinicals, and lots of exams.

[hedgehog]

2. I'd like to know how this works in practice since I expect to see

more nurse practitioners and physician's assistants around in the near future. It sounds like a good idea, but I'd like to have more information so I can answer the argument that people won't be able to see a real doctor any more.

I guess a specific question would be when and how does a nurse practitioner or PA hand off to an MD?

There are a lot of chronic illnesses in my family, so I end up seeing the doctor a lot. It makes sense to me that monitoring a chronic illness can be handed off to a NP or PA, but how does that work exactly?

[nightrain]

3. NPs know their limits and when they need to consult with another

practitioner, they do. NPs prescribe meds, order diagnostic tests etc just like a physician would. In fact, many prefer the care of a nurse. It's more than monitoring. It's also treating/diagnosing/coordinating care. "Handing off" isn't exactly how it works... In many states NPs are independent practitioners.

[hedgehog]

4. I guess I should have used the word "referred". Another way to ask the

question is to ask what a family doctor or internist can do that an NP or PA can't. I've heard good things about NPs and PAs, but I can imagine someone insisting on a doctor. Personally, I'd rather have a Nurse Practitioner taking time to do a good exam than a doctor too rushed for questions, but that's me.

[nightrain]

5. the scope of practice is quite similar. yes, in general a NP has the

orientation of taking time and answering questions. It's the "nurse" training.

[Ilsa]

6. PAs work under a doctor's license. They are not independent

like nurse practitioners. NPs usually have alot of experience.

[nightrain]

7. I believe in some states PAs are independent actually.

[Ilsa]

10. Okay. But I know in mine that they are not. nt

[BuelahWitch]

8. I am not a nurse practitioner, but for what it's worth

the best medical professional my mother had in the last years of her life was an NP. She was the only one who seemed to care and offer solutions when Mother was in the early stages of her dementia. The insurance company nixed the meds she prescribed, but that wasn't her fault. She took time to talk with us and listened and offered solutions. The doctors we saw before and after blew us off. I know not all NPs are great and not all doctors are sucky (however a majority of them in Salt Lake County UT ARE), but I would take a nurse practitioner over a doctor almost any day.

[hedgehog]

9. That's the kind of info I'm looking for. I'm very lucky; our

family doctor takes time to listen but I realize a lot of people aren't that lucky.