NP replacing RNs in ER?

I cannot imagine that actually happening, and I cannot imagine how a provider could both diagnose and prescribe and do all the bedside care. Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.

It sounds like it works in theory, however the cost of paying a staff full of NPs garuntees this would never happen.

I understand the cost factor, but my concern would have been the nursing factor as well. I feel that providers and Nurses work together, but have a different focus. The nurse is there for continual reassessment and intervention while the provider is meant to look for the diagnosis. To have the nurse replaced by a provider would seem to be an unsafe practice to me.

I think it would put tremendous pressure on the NP who has to see multiple patients, assess, formulate a diagnosis as well as perform bedside duties for multiple patients.

Hmmm, that would be RN+NP duties, all falling on one person, in emergent situations. The RN role itself is more than enough for one person. If it was two patients, then maybe, but this seems to be a colossal waste of the NP's expertise and the facility's money. It's like hiring RNs to do janitorial work. Can they do it? Yes. Is it stupid to pay RN wages to empty the trash, etc.? Yes.

Not a very well thought out idea.

Honestly, I doubt the NPs would go for it. The ones that I have known are very clear that they are providers and not bedside nurses. A few of them went to become midlevels specifically so that they wouldn't have to do bedside care.

Honestly, I doubt the NPs would go for it. The ones that I have known are very clear that they are providers and not bedside nurses. A few of them went to become midlevels specifically so that they wouldn't have to do bedside care.

This. Most of the nurses I know pursuing or practicing as NP's would vehemently refuse to do "it all". Anyway, I doubt this would work because burn out would likely happen in about 6 months in a busy ER.

Sounds like what happened when nurses had to take back the CNA role when primary nursing got turned into a scam to cut payrolls.

Can you imagine playing both Doc and RN to 4 pts? I agree with Anna Flaxis... gong show. I max out at 4 pts as an RN in my ED and I can't imagine having to do the diagnostics as well.

I think it is more than just NPs not wanting to do bedside care. Would you expect the MD/DO/PA to be the provider and bedside caregiver for patients in the ED? No so why would anyone expect that of NPs?

I agree with you all. I thought that it was a horrible idea. I didn't see how it would work, logistically, but you never know what trick the admin would play just to save their bottom line. I don't think it will ever happen, but it was an interesting thought to ponder!