Is anybody else tired of the nurse practitioner craze?

Specialties NP

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Hi all. I am a new graduate RN who is enjoying his first job as a med-surg nurse. I don't know about everyone else, but I am so tired of the nurse practitioner craze that seems to be overtaking the newest wave of graduate RNs. Half the people I know at my new job are part-timers in grad school for a master's degree as a family nurse practitioner or a psychiatric nurse practitioner. Good on them, but does anyone else think the idea of a mid-level practitioner has been taken a bit too far?

I don't know about all of you, but if I had a medical issue, I wouldn't bother seeing an NP. I'd go straight to an MD. The idea of an NP seems folly to me. Either you are a nurse or you aren't one. Or, either you practice medicine or you don't. A nurse practicing some form of low-level to mid-level medicine seems absurd.

The position also seems discredited by the variance in the scope of practice among different states and the fact that NPs can never do surgery. If NPs had limitless prescription power, and could be trained for some surgeries, we'd be looking at something real. But the NP's that I have seen "practicing" at my hospital just seem to be adjunct to the MDs who see their patients. The patients don't take the NPs seriously for just that reason. They seem roleless. I feel like the hospital hires them just as tokens. I don't see NP's as the future of nursing -- AT ALL. There is this one lady nurse practitioner at my hospital who goes into the patients' room and says "Hi, my name is Kristen and I'm the nurse practitioner," and begins some interview while I as the bedside nurse think to myself "You know that patient doesn't care right? You know they will just forget about you once they are seen by the actual MD?" Of course I never say that. But that's what is in my mind. I see no point in them.

I see pure bedside nursing as our future. Nursing education. Stuff more involved in social services.

I think NPs are suffering from an identity crisis. Let me know your thoughts too.

Specializes in Critical Care.
In the end, it's the appendectomy that saves the patient with appendicitis. Not the NP's "holistic" spew.

No disrespect to the NPs out there, or their training, but I see the bedside nurses as more important to the patient's care than the NP's visits that usually just reinforce the MD's diagnosis and plan of care. I truly see bedside RNs as more integral to the healthcare team and more vital to the patient's wellbeing than anything an NP could ever do (write limited, crappy scripts).

"Treat the disease not the person" is a silly little overused catchphrase. Please don't repeat it in this thread. This is not an alternative medicine thread. Do you have any evidence that shows that an NP's "attitude" is better than an MD's? Is there a poll? May I see it? Well..?

there are already 108 responses by the time i have begun to reply myself, so take that for what it is....

WillRegNurse, I have no other kind way to say this: try understand the value that comes with listening.

if you want data, google it. you wanted opinions and thoughts on what is essentially a site of message boards.

in your original post and all your subsequent replies, you have been nothing been antagonist, narcissistic and generally unpleasant.

Specializes in IMC/Tele/PACU.

Will's been awfully quiet since knocking down the hive, dont y'all think?

Specializes in IMC/Tele/PACU.

Was trying to say that....without actually saying that ;-)

Specializes in FNP.

OP sounded like a med student anyway, lol.

Specializes in IMC/Tele/PACU.

thats extending a fair amount of credit there linearthinker, dont ya think?? :jester:

Specializes in FNP.

I didn't say graduate, I said student. ;)

Specializes in Psychiatry.

I think there's something wrong with me. I kinda admire "trolls" who, by virtue of their tone, can get things stirred up and make people respond emotionally to a post or two on a forum like this. Some really good information was shared here, if one can manage to sift through the banal responses. Perhaps this person is a nurse practitioner who is dissatisfied with their current role. Or perhaps it doesn't matter even a little bit and people should just relax and consider the topic and not have their buttons be pushed because someone expresses an opinion in an unconventional, perhaps overstated manner. The original poster is obviously intelligent; maybe a little misguided, though. We all know the truth about the nurse practioner role. We should also consider the fact that it may not be or should not be the goal of every RN to become one (I am personally considering it, btw). This thread was amusing and insightful. Be grateful and have some perspective.

Specializes in ICU.

As I said before I have no idea how we can expect to be proper diagnostician (in clinics/urgent care/fasttrack) because not everything fits a specific algorithim (diagnosis X = treatment/medication Y). It's almost silly NP's have 500-800 clinical hour requirements, and they expect higher roles /more advanced positions. Problem is even NP's don't want to into primary care, when they are supposed to be the solution to the PCP problem!

Btw I am an RN who looked at CRNA/NP and was totally dissatisfied with the role and now am working on getting into med school...only other alternative is PA, but I figure why not go all the way and never wonder.

As I said before I have no idea how we can expect to be proper diagnostician (in clinics/urgent care/fasttrack) because not everything fits a specific algorithim (diagnosis X = treatment/medication Y). It's almost silly NP's have 500-800 clinical hour requirements, and they expect higher roles /more advanced positions. Problem is even NP's don't want to into primary care, when they are supposed to be the solution to the PCP problem!

Btw I am an RN who looked at CRNA/NP and was totally dissatisfied with the role and now am working on getting into med school...only other alternative is PA, but I figure why not go all the way and never wonder.

I think it's definitely not a role for everyone. Before nursing school I shadowed and volunteered with an NP in an HIV clinic and loved it. I really admired her and thought the care she gave to her patients was phenomenal. I thought that after a few years of bedside I'd go that route. I work in an ED and we have some really great NPs there....but the role I see them filling does not interest me a bit. I too toyed with the idea of Med school, but at this stage in my life I'm not sure I want that sort of time commitment, that debt, having to put a lot of things on hold. So my plan right now is to revisit future career goals in a few years. I love what I do right now so maybe I'll be a lifer as a plain ol' RN. And there's nothing wrong with that.

Specializes in Critical Care, Progressive Care.
As I said before I have no idea how we can expect to be proper diagnostician (in clinics/urgent care/fasttrack) because not everything fits a specific algorithim (diagnosis X = treatment/medication Y). It's almost silly NP's have 500-800 clinical hour requirements, and they expect higher roles /more advanced positions.

Thank you moderator, for the cool off period. It was needed IMO.

I am an APRN- CNS, not NP. Most of my classes were, however, with the NP students.

We were not taught to assess and treat patients by following alogrithims. Rather, we were taught to assess and develop a treatment plan using our knowledge and skills. That said, algorithims have an important place in patient care for NPs and MDs. And the cornerstone of safe practice for both APRNs and MDs is knowing the limit of one's capabilities- knowing when to get help and when to refer on to a provider with skill in the needed area.

NP education is the starting point for NP practice- nobody I know preteded to be an expert straight out of school. The first few years of practice are a learning period under the close supervison of an expereinced NP or MD. If post graduate residencies were available to NPs , on the model of medical residency, I am confident they would be full.

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

@czyja - you are correct about school for APNs being (like the RN education model), a starting point. I've been out of school for over 5 years now and I'm still learning. School is the starting point for entry level. Just as an RN new grad is entry level, so is newly educated APN entry level.

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
NP education is the starting point for NP practice- nobody I know preteded to be an expert straight out of school. The first few years of practice are a learning period under the close supervison of an expereinced NP or MD. .

Very good point and I hope it works out in practice so NPs with limited nursing experience are mentored upon graduation.

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