PA vs NP

Nurses General Nursing

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In your opinion is there a difference in the respect level within the health field between NP's and PA's. Since the PA is under the MD's guidance, do the doctors acknowledge PA's with a higher level of competence? Do they favor them, accept their clinical advice as one of there own? I know that the general responsibility guidelines for NP'S and PA's are close to parallel, but is there a difference in reality?

From what I have seen, the PA's are looked on as MD wannabe's, but the MD can use them to generate revenue and take some of the load off. NP's have a nursing approach---more holistic than medicine. Docs I know are choosing NP's for that reason, because they create more patient satisfaction. Of course, I am biased as I think nurses are always the best choice!

Specializes in Corrections, Psych, Med-Surg.

Yes, yes, yes, and yes.

Specializes in midwifery, ophthalmics, general practice.

I'm an NP - and I work autonomously, I have responsility for my patients and I dont work under anyones directions! I have my own case load, and basically manage myself! not sure what a PA does- we dont have them here!

Karen

PA is mini-doc

NP is super-nurse :D

It honestly depends on the doc whether they prefer NP's or PA's. I know Children's Hospital of Phila (the #1 peds hospital in the nation) does not hire PA's at all. However, from what I have seen a lot of the orthopods at Penn seem to prefer PA's as first assists in surgery. So, it really all depends on the doc and the area.

You'll probably kick me off your site, but I am a family physician and happened upon this thread looking for discussion/facts comparing PAs and NPs. I've worked with both good and bad PAs and NPs, just like their are good and bad physicians. Both can be compassionate and take time with their patients, both can be well educated, both can have a good work ethic and have integrity and be conscientious about their work. . . or not. NPs who have worked med/surg/icu as RNs prior to their CNP probably have better clinical acumen. Those RNs who have gone straight through their schooling with minimal experience have no advantage over PAs. PAs are disadvantaged in not having had the nursing model. But some PAs have been RNs or have other health care experience and are not disadvantaged at all. Integrity and ethics, intellectual ability, school attended all play a role in how "good" a NP or PA is, and I would not pick one over the other based on degree alone. I work in a state where both PAs and NPs require physician supervision. I think this is appropriate, because neither PAs nor NPs have the fund of basic science knowledge required to make difficult clinical diagnoses that physicians have. NPs often have longer experience with patients but the training experience that physicians receive has a different emphasis. I am a proponent of the "health care team" concept. All health care providers have a role to play in the care of the patient and RNs/CNPs do some things better tha I and vice versa.Thank you. :)

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

LBB, welcome to the site. I agree with your post. I can't see why anyone would KICK you off. All kinds of perspectives are welcomed and appreciated here. Thank you for your input, You make sense to me! One thing that has me stumped:

what does "physician supervision" really mean in reference to NP practice?

I am not an NP, so this is a bit new to me. I do know the NPs I see in military practice are quite independent, referring to physician/specialist care when appropriate or the medical condition warrants. NO doctor is directly supervising them. per se.

Thank you and again, welcome to allnurses.

Ibb- why in the world would we kick you off??? I wish more docs would REALLY talk and listen to nurses. Thanks for signing in!!

I was trying to explain the difference to my husband the other day re: PA vs NP. I basically told him that NP's come to the situation from a nursing theory/holistic view and PA's from an essentially medical one. I myself have been to PA/MD/NP and ummmmmm .... sorry, but I prefer the NP. Of course, there are going to be individual practitioner issues, but I have been to several doctors, PA's, and NP's and still prefer the NP. Reason? They tend to delve a little deeper into what the patient is complaining about before offering quick fixes or multiple tests! I simply love someone who will take the time to listen to you before handing you a script and sending you out the door. Not that I had bad experiences with the docs, they just are sooooo rushed. I think all docs should have some help with their workloads, be it NP or PA. Trying to manage an office load, inpatient load, and sometimes pulling an ER rotation or 2 is just too much to ask of someone in my humble opinion!

Why should you be kicked off this site? You gave a very thoughtful response.

Welcome to the board! I hope you choose to visit with us now and then; there are times when it would be great to have a physician's perpective.

by physician supervision I mean that legally in SD a NP or PA may not practice without being attached to a physician, with same reuqirements for chart review, hours supervised in clinic that a PA requires.

I'm sorry if this question is out of place....but which will be more demanding in the future, PAs or NPs?

Thanks

Nev

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