Clinic patients picket hospital

[Rohan]

BUTTE - A dozen patients of a clinic run by two nurse practitioners picketed St. James Healthcare Thursday over the hospital's requirement that doctors sign off on the nurses' orders for diagnostic tests, such as MRI's.

http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2005/10/14/breaker/doc434fd45ed83ee434451324.txt

[Nemhain]

I think it's wonderful that these patients are supporting these two Nurse Practioners!!!

The doctor who wants another doctor to sign off on referrals for things like an MRI is probably some power-tripping egomaniac who doesn't have a bit of respect for these nurse's knowledge. Afterall, LEGALLY these Nurse Practioners have a RIGHT to order things like MRI's. It is within their scope of practice.

I'm so touched that all of those patients came out in support of those nurses!!!!!!!!!!! When do we ever see patients that stand up for nurses?

[Rohan]

I totally agree. That doc seems like a jerk. If these patients wanted to deal with physicians, then they would choose to get care from them, not the NPs.

[HeartsOpenWide, RN]

"I do not believe that a nurse practitioner ... has the training, education or experience to independently act on my consults," Cole said. "Why wouldn't you want to have a doctor involved in some of this stuff?"

How arrogant!!!!!!

[OneChattyNurse]

cole said patient care is the heart of the issue.

"they can be assured when they come in and have a physician treating them, or seeing them ... they are achieving a higher standard and quality of care by having physician involvement," he said.

the last few lines of this article are unbelievable! i cannot fathom the nerve of this guy. physicians are very important to out healthcare team, i cannot imagine this one would have very many patients. maybe that's why he has such strong opinions against the np's; he needs more patients of his own.

[erichRN]

As is the case most of the time, the bottom line is money. Obviously, the NP care is far better from the perspective of the patients; I haven't ever seen any positive picketing for any MD (some negative, though).

[HeartsOpenWide, RN]

BUTTE - A dozen patients of a clinic run by two nurse practitioners picketed St. James Healthcare Thursday over the hospital's requirement that doctors sign off on the nurses' orders for diagnostic tests, such as MRI's.

http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2005/10/14/breaker/doc434fd45ed83ee434451324.txt

In my state FNPs do not have to have an MD sign off their charting of any kind, or order for that matter; at the FNPs that I use to work with both only had ASN degrees. The PA-C does have to have his/her charts signed off...but not orders, except for triplicate meds if I remember correctly.