No wonder our profession is messed up

[NeuroNP]

Several of us who have gone back to school to become NPs have encountered a lot of animosity from some fellow nurses. We get remarks like, "You think you're better than us?" The other night at work, several of the nurses were complaining that they didn't think they should have to take orders from NPs because, "they're just nurses like me, they're not doctors." Recently one of our nurses had surgery and proclaimed that she didn't want, "some NURSE" (i.e. CRNA) doing her anesthesia, she demanded a doctor.

I was coming here to post this and ask if any of you had encountered that same type of attitude, but then I see yet another post demeaning the DNP and read some of the comments and see that it's no better.

I'm in a DNP program and I'm proud to be. I don't think that I'm any better than an MSN prepared NP. You may think that it's all fluff (and there is some of that, but from talking to my MSN friends, no more than in most MSN programs) but I'm proud of the education that I'm receiving and I have no doubt that I'll be a great nurse practitioner when I'm done. I think it's funny, I can't think of any other profession where obtaining more education is looked down on like it is in nursing.

For the record, I don't plan on calling myself "doctor" for fear of confusing patients. I don't feel that I'm any "better" than an MSN prepared NP or that an MSN is a "joke." I just think it's very telling that in our profession, any attempt to better yourself is looked down on. If you don't want to become an APN, don't. We need good nurses at the bedside. If you have an MSN and don't want to get a DNP, don't. But can we all please stop slamming people who do make that choice?

I want to do research and to teach as well as practice clinically, I realize that I can do that with an MSN, but I felt like the DNP would better prepare me for that. If you don't feel that way, that's your right. If you don't want to teach or be involved in research, that's fine too.

Until we can all respect the choices each of us makes and the contributions we can all make, our profession is never going to advance.

Ahh...that feels better. I'll get of my soapbox now. Bring on the flames...

[Neriah]

Personally, I wouldn't want the responsibility that is entailed with being an ANP. Have at it and who cares what anyone else's thinks.

[nomadcrna, DNP, CRNA, NP]

I was doing OB anesthesia years ago in Texas. We had a pediatrician come in labor. We had an all CRNA group. She insisted on a MDA doing her epidural. Her OB doc made arrangements to have an MDA come in from the OR. He wet tapped her twice and then finally got it in, maybe. It never really worked. Of course after two wet taps, she developed a post dural puncture headache. Now, they come and ask us to do the blood patch.

Sorry, no can do. Have the same MDA come fix his screw up.

Be careful what you ask for, Sometimes you get it.

[KalipsoRed21, BSN, RN]

It really just depends on the person. I think anyone who wants to continue their education should be admired as long as they implement their education in the way that it should be implemented. My primary doctor's NP is great. I see her once a year for my physical and LOVE to discuss my healthcare with her. I think she is knowledgeable and well rounded. I've worked with NP's when I worked post surgical and 3 out of 4 left me with a good impression.

On the other hand I currently work in the ER with an NP that is just a plain *****. I don't trust her orders and I think she is far to flippant about her patients. Yes, we get A LOT of false alarms in the ER, but no reason to go talking down to every patient that comes in for 'stupid' stuff. I would rather deal with ANY doctor in the ER than this NP, mostly because I just don't trust her.

So don't listen to your downer co-workers, if being a ANP is your calling then go for it. Just realize that being an NP, even a DNP, is not a MD and practice within your scope. If you do that and the nurses that assist you come to know that you practice safe, then they will treat you with the respect you deserve as an DNP.

I've also seen it happen that some RN's get huffy with NP's because they didn't know the full scope of the NP's practice and felt like they were being unsafe; when in fact the NP was well with in her scope the RN just didn't know that.

[zorabanks]

I totally agree with you, OP. I'm an ADN and while I don't face that on the same level that you do, I do face it when working with Techs and LPNs, of which I have been both. I have worked hard to get where I am thus far and want to go father in nursing. I enjoy the field and taking care of pts. But I have had it with working with CNAs and Techs who think they know more than you! I am sick of rudness. If you want my job, go to school like I did, then you can have it! That's what I did....In my experience as a pt, NPs do a better job with edu and over all health, than MDs. If you earn a doctorate degree, than by all means put Dr. in front of your name & use it, you can explain difference to pts. I dont know why nurses do this, but I wish it would stop too.

[noahsmama]

NPs rock! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise! :yelclap:

[whatdayoftheweekisit]

Best advice I ever received concerning my admission to anesthesia school...."The only people that are truly happy about your success are your mother and your spouse!" I think this is more of a quip than reality but it has a ring of truth to it!

[nerdtonurse?, BSN, RN]

You can have stupid MDs. You can have stupid NPs. You can have smart ones, too. My PCP is a NP, because I think she does a better job than the MDs in the area, and she takes a more holistic view.

The ones that scare me are the NPs who've never worked as a nurse. I think if you're going straight off the street into a NP program, you need to have the NP version of medical school internship. Based off of some of the folks I work with who are going for the NPs, you just don't get enough clinical time in their programs -- I'd be scared to be turned loose as an NP with the little "hands on" that they are getting, had I not already been a nurse. I think you either need to have x amount of time as an RN to get the hands on, or a true internship. Your program may be different, but the one most people around here use? Yikes! There's a reason I'm looking at going to a different school.

[finalscore3b1g]

I usually see a NP at my Dr.'s office. Of course, you need to wait days to weeks to see one of the Dr's there. I went in for a rash my GYN (at my yearly) said the previous day was a staph infection:eek: so I was like should I go to the ER??? He said no just get to see your DR asap. I go to my NP the next day and she was a little baffled but looked at me like I was nuts when I said my OB/GYN said it was a staph. She was like ummm no!! She then said it looked like pityriasis rosea but got in the head Internal Dr to take a look:uhoh21:. He was not as sure as her, he was thinking a fungal infection or Psoriasis. They prescribed a fungal cream and said to see a Dermatologist if it doesn't get better. The cream seemed to work slightly but then just stopped. I headed to the Derm a fwe days later. He looked at my stomach and said immediately Pityriasis Rosea!!!! Doctors DON'T always know everything, my NP was right. I was p***** and still am that my GYN said staph and was sure about it...

Just wanted to add that even as a student in an RN program right now, some of the students can be so freakin NASTY if you ask a question. I'm even talking about ones who have failed the semester you are in with them right now (b/c they are taking it over) and they are know-it-alls, God forbid you ask a question, they answer it like you are an idiot. Umm you failed this last semester so if you were so smart you wouldn't be in this class right now .

It all boils down to jealousy. And if it's not jealousy it's misery....cuz it LOVES company!!!! LOL

And one last thing, they all can make mistakes!! Consent forms....

[OCNRN63, RN]

I respect your choice. That doesn't mean, however, that I want a nurse providing my care. I have a serious illness and will most likely need surgery. With all I have going on, I want a physician providing my care. The same goes for when I am sick.

It doesn't have to do with bitterness or envy. I just want physicians to be directing and providing my care. It doesn't mean I don't respect NPs.

[ANurseDivided]

ACNP2B I understand your pain.

I am not a NP but an ICU nurse for 9 years. I have worked with many NPs. I will have admit that I did kind of turn up my nose to some of the NPs for several reasons. I think that one of them might have been some deep rooted jealousy the other being that some of the NPs had a chip on their shoulder making it seem like that they were somehow better or smarter than the bedside nurses.

I am all for people getting more education. Especially in this profession. I do believe that when a fellow nurse learns that you are trying to go back to school...for anything, it is an automatic uncomfortable situation. A lot times it is followed by a "Oh I would never want to do that" or "Why do you want to do that" or a myraid of other nonsupportive comments.

What people have to realize that everyone has different goals. Like I know that I am not supposed to be at the bedside for the rest of my life. There are some people who belong there because they do not have goals or that they are really good at it.

I would not really worry about the negativity because there will always be haters but I realize how stressful it might be. Good luck to you

[Amanda.RN]

It's jealousy. Don't let it bother you. Congrats to you for continuing your education! Good luck in your DNP program!! :)

[nurse2033, MSN, RN]

Nurses who resent APNs probably are insecure in their own abilities or jealous they haven't had the gumption to do it themselves.