NPs Gain Ground in Turf War
As of Jan. 1, 2015, nurse practitioners (NPs) in New York who have more than 3,600 hours of clinical experience are no longer required to submit patient charts for review to “collaborative” physicians.
“NPs are no longer tethered to a physician who may or may not have anything to do with the patient,” Stephen Ferrara, DNP, executive director of the Nurse Practitioner Association (NPA) in Clifton Park, N.Y., told MedPage Today in a phone interview. “What we found — we have NP practice owners — is that the practice [under the old system] hinges on this third party. NPs didn’t have any control and they’re left hanging in the balance.”
Filed under: General Problems
This is almost scary. 80% of the visits and procedures at the pain clinics I have been to have been by a nurse practitioner. I love nurses, was one for 20 years before becoming one of the persecuted chronic ill so accurately described by Ken McMin. But I do resent making a doctor’s appointment and being seen a N.P. regardless of how many initials are after their names. I don’t mind them doing the interviews or exams but I do want a doctor’s opinion. I was surprised when Tennessee chose to punish me for seeing different N.P. at the pain clinic depending upon who was on duty that day. I have seen offices when 5-6 were under the supervision of one doctor that may not even be there that day. I can understand being low on the totum pole but I do have a complex medical situation like so many others with multiple problems. I have seen where nurse practitioners have opened their own offices. Now that nurses have the options of doctoral degrees often patients don’t know who or what education that they are being seen by. A doctor goes to medical school and specializes for a reason.