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Discussion

Nurse Practitioner UK

On a previous thread several comments were posted about the role of an Advanced Nurse Practitioner in the UK and whether or not they had autonomy, maybe it would be worth reading this, look specifically at "Defining the role"

In addition most ANP's here in the UK are Independent Prescriber's and as such can prescribe any medication for use within their level of clinical competence.

So no, we are not acting under the "orders" of an MD.

http://www.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/146478/003207.pdf

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    • Expert

    Nursing is a very different profession over here in the US. Dr's can be very rigid and old fashioned. Dr's tend to be the 'boss' which was never the case in the UK

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    • Author

    From some of the post's on the previous thread, it would seem that some of the nurse's are a little old fashioned too :D

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    • Expert

    When I came to the US it was so different I cannot imagine if I could return to the UK to nurse anymore. Almost 6 years changes you.

    The power here lies with the Doctor there is no question about it. The RN's have no choice but to know this as the DR can get you fired!

    This would never happen back in the UK

    Dont get me wrong there is so many positive things over here like the access to quick MRI's and CT's.

    My co-workers have been fantastic.

    In the UK the doctors and nurses are very separate professions and there is a clear divide line

    In the US the control is not with the nurses at all. The line is smudged if you know what I mean.

    UK nurses have a lot of power which I am not sure I appreciated as much as I should have.

    When I came to the US in 2005 there was 'a nursing shortage' so jobs were in abundance, now there is still a nursing shortage but the powers that be do not fill the jobs instead they make a higher nurse pt ratio. I kid you not when I tell you I worked 1-4 pts on a med/surg floor and then 4/1 on a cardiac step down unit. I honestly thought I had died and gone to heaven.

    I worked 1-24pt sometimes in the Uk when we were short of staff LOL and rarely did we have more than a couple of RN's

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    • Expert

    OH yeah and this is the best thing, you know how we call Dr's by their first name unless they are consultants well here you have to address the doctor by Doctor XXXXX

    even if they are a brand new doctor!

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    • Expert

    Appreciate the insight you two have.

    You failed to mention the guiding light of the US medical system - liability and the litigious society in which we live!

    That guides ALL our care.

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    • Author
    OH yeah and this is the best thing, you know how we call Dr's by their first name unless they are consultants well here you have to address the doctor by Doctor XXXXX

    even if they are a brand new doctor!

    That would be pretty hard to get my head around, especially on the work's night out :lol2:

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    • Author
    Appreciate the insight you two have.

    You failed to mention the guiding light of the US medical system - liability and the litigious society in which we live!

    That guides ALL our care.

    We do have liability and litigation here too. As I previously mentioned, as ANP's we are autonomous practitioners, who are able to make autonomous decision's for which we are accountable. This does not stop all healthcare professionals working together as a team. We all have respect for each other's role and appreciate that everyone should have a say at all level's of care. Hence my original statement that we don't take "orders"

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    • Expert

    TraumaRUs is a APN she has a lot of Autonomy and she is very specialised, especially as she works in the Renal community which tends to have a more autonomy than other specialties

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    • Author

    I appreciate the differences in practice. I have worked in the UAE, totally different there too.

    The day's are gone, in the UK at least, when nurses are considered mere hand maidens to the almighty doctors. Yet there are people on these forums still talking about taking orders from a doctor. It just doesn't happen here. maybe its the difference in practice that has been spoken about, I don't know.

    All I know is that as an ANP I worked hard and long to get where I am and I treat my fellow workers with respect, as they do me. We don't work under orders, we work as a professional multidisciplinary team to give the best care and outcomes to our patients. It is not always perfect, but then what is?

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