It's time to collaborate-not compete-with NPs

linearthinker, DNP, RN · Dec 8, 2010

This really echos what I hear from physicians I know. Most of them really do want collegial relationships with all the people they work with, including NPs. I used to read a student physician Bb and I would get distressed by all the negativity. I asked a doc I know about it, i.e. "do you guys really think that way," etc? He just laughed and said they often do in med school b/c that lifestyle is so abysmal they come to hate everyone, but they grow out of it as they catch up on their sleep, gain confidence in their own skills, and mature.

A cardiologist friend of mine says he can't afford to leave the cath lab, and all his patients see a NP for hospital and outpatient f/u and chronic cardio care. The endocrine clinic near here is completely run by NPs, as is the oncology clinic and all the local docs acknowledge that the NPs are far better at managing those pts than they are. All of these people respect each other and work together. Most of them socialize together, so I suspect if there were animosity it would be evident. The only place that is still anti-NP here is the hospital system, but I just heard -last night as a matter of fact- that even they are finally getting on board and are going with hospitalist NPs next year. Know why? Because the medical staff demanded it.

I think NPs are going to be pivotal in the new health care paradigm. Really, the only real conflicts left are the lame old arguments that always plague nursing: education and titles. I suspect the physicians will have reached universal accord with NPs long before nurses will.

Trauma Columnist · Dec 8, 2010

I work for a large nephrology practice and go to 5 different hospitals to see our pts. In our practice, they have had mid-levels (PAs, NPs and CNSs) for over 10 years. They are very pleased with the way we handle pts and add to the care provided by the MD.

In the hospital situations, I am consulted often for renal dosing parameters by the hospitalists and intensivists. In fact, was offered a job by one of the intensivists recently while in conversation with him. So, this is something (mid-levels in the hospitalist model) that is really coming on strong - at least in my area.

And...I'm talking even about teaching institutions where they have resident MDs - they are now hiring mid-levels too.