Dysfunctional Collaborations

[hbscott]

As I noted on an earlier post Advanced Practice Nurses report the highest level of job satisfaction, see http://www.afscme.org/una/sns06.htm for more information on that.

Two of the most popular APN roles are that of CRNA and Nurse Practitioner. Speaking strictly in "competitive " terms we have counter to that the role of Physician Assistants and the emerging role of Anesthesiologist Assistants, see http://www.anesthetist.org/default.php .

Anesthesiologist Assistants are seen by some as a response to some physician displeasure to increasing autonomy in the CRNA community. Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners sometimes share this conflict in some settings.

What say you? Is this another example of dysfunctional collaboration between nursing and medicine or something else? Does nursing and medicine have to compete? Why can't we all just get along?

-HBS

[Dave ARNP]

Angus, state that as an employee we have no power.

I don't work for anyone. Doc and myself are partners, and each share half of the company. Neither one of us work for the other.

Dave

[Erin RN]

Originally posted by Agnus

I diagree. The market is consumer driven. However to simply tell them who you are is not enough. No one cares who you are when it come to purchasing health care or anything else.

Consumers want to know WIFM. What is in it for me. In other words why should I go to a NP when I can go to an MD. What are the benefits to me of using a NP over an MD?

Number one rule of business LEAD with the benefits, not the feature. The feature is you are a NP.

But frankly no one cares UNLESS they understand the benefits first.

As for your remark about phone listings. You do you think is the "they" that pays for the listing? Some one pays for it. If a clinic contract says it will pay for an individual listing for each MD then they do. However, may clinics that hire MDs do NOT pay for seperate listings.

If it is an independent practice the MD pays. Consider either negotiating for payment of a seperate listing in your contract or pay for the listing yourself like other business people do.

You need to stop thinking in terms of helplessness and start thinking in a business mode.

Good post Agnus and soo true!! I am also a small business owner, providing file review for med mal, toxic tort etc. I remember when I first started to market..I had no clue..nurses are not "sales people" by nature so it was difficult for me. Eventually after reading books and talking to pharm reps that I know I came to understand that the WIFM is the only way to sell. I can talk to an atty or a claims manager and go on and on about my experience as an RN but once I figured out what THEY need and started speaking to that..ie: I can save you time and by saving you time I save you money..they began to listen and I got business. It is a totally different mind set and a difficult one to adopt. Erin