FNP care compared to MD

My question is does FNP knowledge prepare you to take on this role? I never found the nursing education to be mentally stimulating and I know medical school is quiet rigorous and teaches the thinking process that is necessary to take on this role. I'm not trying to put down our profession, I am just worried and misunderstood as to how our education allows us to practice independently in some states.

I feel the same way which is why I believe it is so important we have our nursing experience in a similar specialty to at least provide a bit of a background and MD preceptors. There are plenty of nursing research articles that support positive NP outcomes but personally I think many have holes especially when so many include patient satisfaction. The truth is patients love NPs because so many spend far too much time doing things that aren't provider level and in my experience some of the most incompetent NPs and MDs are also the most beloved by their patients because they are either very nice or prescribe whatever the patient requests. What about the outcomes in primary care? How many primary care presentations aren't in need of medical care and will resolve with no intervention? What about some of the routine blunders such as prescribing antibiotics for ear infections that aren't ear infections and get included in these studies? A year later the patient will be alive and well if in fact they were treated inappropriately and didn't have an ear infection does that mean they received competent care?

What does the published data say? All the rest is opinion.

Healthcare is a team sport. MD and NP are not players on opposite teams - we are not adversaries. I was called on Tuesday night to see an MDs pts Wednesday as he had a conflict in his schedule. I assure you if he felt I would provide substandard care, he wouldn't have asked me to cover his pts.

As to whether right out of the gate we are as competent and prepared as a newly minted MD....hmmmm....depends on many factors. I know that now after 10 years experience I'm a lot more competent and confident then I was as a new grad. I am well-respected among my peers and my MD colleagues. I provide good care, I ask questions when I need to, I look things up when I need to, I cont my informal education by reading journals and EBP.

I think its okay to be a little scared and humble at the beginning - for both NP and MD.

Many NP vs MD arguments fail to point out how poor MDs do during residency. Everyone messes up especially as they begin their career.

If by the end of school you want more practice, dont forget NP residencies are available for FNP, ACNP, and PMHNP. Perhaps more but those are I have looked for personally

While I agree with you about the learning curve for all professions please remember that MDs during their residencies/fellowships are still in school and not functioning as independent practitioners like NPs are expected to do when they graduate.

Excellent point about fellowships or residencies. I'm hoping and suspect that as the large number of NPs continue to graduate that fellowships will become mandatory. In the past our brief education was justified because of our many years of RN experience which thanks to the greedy schools is no longer the case in many instances-retain those students at all costs because if they go out and gain experience they might not come back to school or might spend their money at another school.

How can anyone feel it is acceptable to hand someone full prescribing rights with only 1 or possibly 2 pharmacology courses?

While I agree with you about the learning curve for all professions please remember that MDs during their residencies/fellowships are still in school and not functioning as independent practitioners like NPs are expected to do when they graduate.

Medical residents often practice as independently (if not more) than NPs working in collaborative practice states. In some ways, collaborative practice acts as a residency of sorts for novice NPs.

Medical residents often practice as independently (if not more) than NPs working in collaborative practice states. In some ways, collaborative practice acts as a residency of sorts for novice NPs.

Interesting point for states with a collaborative requirement and I guess depending on the Doc there might be some helpful oversight. How was your collaborating experience?

My collaborating physician had no involvement in my practice. He wasn't at my worksites, wasn't privy to my documentation or prescribing. Seriously I was shown the bathroom, given an office and prescription pad. In my state now NPs have independent practice rights so new NPs only need to list a mentor with the BON, no other stipulations requiring any type of supervision.