NP Changes that need to happen...

SycamoreGuy · Dec 2, 2012

I think with more NP prevalence "name recognition" will increase. I mean thats really the best name, no matter what you call them NPs are nurses, thats how they are trained. Plus patients will still call for the "Doctor" thats just what our culture expects when they are sick.

Psychcns · Dec 2, 2012

I am a clinical nurse specialist working in a NP role. I say "My name is ______, I am a nurse, I will be meeting with you and prescribing your meds. They end up calling me their doctor or by my first name--I prefer my first name and I do tell people who call me their doctor "you know I am a nurse, right?"

IcySageNurse · Dec 2, 2012

Most of the NPs I work with go by their first name. I like it, it seems more accessible. I think that's why patients give them a higher satisfaction score - it seems more personable to say "hey hillary, I'm still having those leg cramps from before. Can we try something else?" Then it does to say "hello Dr. smith"

Tinabeanrn · Dec 2, 2012

I also go by my first name. I say, Hi Im Tina. They always say Dr. Tina. And I say, No just Tina. For those that demand an explanation I go into the whole NP thing and my trianing and bla bla bla. I thinnk its harder for the population that I work with to understand NPs. They see so many NPs and PAs in the hospital, and dont even know it. I read the notes, all signed my NPs and PAs. But in the hospital there is no real first name introduction sometimes. Its just Hi Im with Dr so and sos group with GI or whatever. No matter how many times I tell them I am a NP and what that is they always revert back to calling me their doctor. And like a previous poster said, that is what they expect when they are sick.

studentnurserachel · Dec 6, 2012

Interesting the direction this thread has gone. I would have welcomed a residency after graduation. I didn't (and perhaps still don't) feel as prepared as my husband was when he was fresh out of PA school (Army medic to Army PA school). My husband was also certainly better prepared to go into a specialty, particularly if he wanted to do one of the IM specialties, and is doing very well in the ER now, which absolutely petrifies me as a FNP. I think I could have had more clinical hours and perhaps higher quality clinical hours. Now that I am in practice though, I don't feel unprepared for what I do most days, although I am in pretty basic primary care. Things still come my way that have me digging through uptodate and calling for help, but that happens a little bit less every month.

I feel like programs should be standardized more than they are, but this whole bagging on the online degree thing has been done ad nauseum on this board as well as many others. It feels a little bit like people just clinging to the old ways for the sake of tradition. How about programs be held to higher standards whether or not the content is delivered online? I have heard people on this board and in my day to day life who have complained equally about the bricks and mortar schools. I am certainly prejudiced as a FNU graduate (by the way, they didn't beat down my door and call me endlessly, I had to do the legwork, so don't really understand that reference), but I feel like there has to be a place for online schools if NPs are to be a part of the solution to the PCP shortage. I would not be an NP but for online education. We moved to 3 different states in my 3 years completing the program and that was not without difficulties even in an online environment, would have been impossible at a B&M school.

I also agree with others that it is difficult to explain what an NP is to laypeople and even doctors, MAs, etc., but I remain proud that I am a NURSE first and would never voluntarily lose that part of my title. As the number of NPs swells across the country, hopefully that awkward explanation will occur less frequently. I like to think this is what the DOs went through (and still go through to an extent!) when explaining the letters behind their name. Since my husband is a PA I can also tell you on good authority that PAs absolutely agonize over their title as "Physician Assistant" because they get mistaken for MAs, CNAs, or secretaries, many in the profession want to change the title to Physician Associate and have even drafted motions for their national association to that effect.

WRNCEN · Dec 7, 2012

Interesting the direction this thread has gone. I would have welcomed a residency after graduation. I didn't (and perhaps still don't) feel as prepared as my husband was when he was fresh out of PA school (Army medic to Army PA school). My husband was also certainly better prepared to go into a specialty, particularly if he wanted to do one of the IM specialties, and is doing very well in the ER now, which absolutely petrifies me as a FNP. I think I could have had more clinical hours and perhaps higher quality clinical hours. Now that I am in practice though, I don't feel unprepared for what I do most days, although I am in pretty basic primary care. Things still come my way that have me digging through uptodate and calling for help, but that happens a little bit less every month.
I feel like programs should be standardized more than they are, but this whole bagging on the online degree thing has been done ad nauseum on this board as well as many others. It feels a little bit like people just clinging to the old ways for the sake of tradition. How about programs be held to higher standards whether or not the content is delivered online? I have heard people on this board and in my day to day life who have complained equally about the bricks and mortar schools. I am certainly prejudiced as a FNU graduate (by the way, they didn't beat down my door and call me endlessly, I had to do the legwork, so don't really understand that reference), but I feel like there has to be a place for online schools if NPs are to be a part of the solution to the PCP shortage. I would not be an NP but for online education. We moved to 3 different states in my 3 years completing the program and that was not without difficulties even in an online environment, would have been impossible at a B&M school.
I also agree with others that it is difficult to explain what an NP is to laypeople and even doctors, MAs, etc., but I remain proud that I am a NURSE first and would never voluntarily lose that part of my title. As the number of NPs swells across the country, hopefully that awkward explanation will occur less frequently. I like to think this is what the DOs went through (and still go through to an extent!) when explaining the letters behind their name. Since my husband is a PA I can also tell you on good authority that PAs absolutely agonize over their title as "Physician Assistant" because they get mistaken for MAs, CNAs, or secretaries, many in the profession want to change the title to Physician Associate and have even drafted motions for their national association to that effect.

I would have to agree with you, Physician Associate would be more appropriate, I never looked at the PA being compared to MA or other careers, but I am not a layman. I unfortunately had a slap in the face by a family member who said "I don't feel NP should practice, if I am sick I am going to see a doctor"! From an educated person. So upsetting that many don't understand how NP's are an asset to health care.

SycamoreGuy · Dec 7, 2012

My ultimate goal is NP practice and I feel the same way when I hear that sentiment. I don't think some people take enough interest in the human body to understand that you don't need an MD to understand and treat a lot of disease processes. That and they feel entitled to have "the best"