Hello! I'm a "Physician Extender"

[PackMule]

I wonder how my patients would respond to me saying "Its nice to meet you, I'm Dr so-and-so's extender" It sounds a little perverted it you think about it too much.....anyway...

I'm wondering if I'm being a cry-baby or oversensitive. The organization I work for has recently taken to calling its Mid-levels (like that one too) Physician Extenders. I find the term a little offensive, bordering on downright demeaning and kinda sleezy all at the same time. I cringe everytime I read another policy that has the term on it. Should I voice my concerns about this in a dignified manner stating I feel a little under-valued, yet at the same time, mildly aroused when I hear myself being referred to in this manner?

Thoughts anyone?

[APP]

"Physician Extender" reminds me of "semen extender", used in artificial insemination of livestock!

[ChesterRN]

This is very interesting. How can the term "physician" in "physician extender" be applied to the advance practice nurse? Different model, different training, different scope of practice, different licensing boards, different theories and philosophies, different process, no matter how similar the functions are to medicine.

I would hope its not used in the context of what NP's and Physicians do for pts, since some functions of NP's fall with the scope of practice of medicine (as well as within Advance Nursing Practice ) and some functions of physicians fall within the scope of advance nursing practice (as well as within the practice of medicine).

When physicians prescribe medications in states where NP's have prescriptive authority and there is no supervision/collaboration mandate, are the physicians working in the capacity of "Advanced Practice Nurse Extenders"? I would hope not, but are they not performing functions within advanced practice nursing? How can one not consider these physicians as "Advanced Practice Nurse Extenders?" Oh, yeah...that's right, they're practicing under their own "physician" license, just like the advanced practice nurses functions under their own "advanced practice nurse" license.

Also, what does "mid-level care provider" mean? The term, "mid" I suppose means to be in the middle of some form of a continuum. What is the continuum and what points represent the opposing extremes to which NP's are in the middle? If and when I obtain my DNP I hope that I will not be characterized as being in the middle of any form of continuum, either for function or the profession in which I have chosen.