Pts want to see a doctor

allnurses Guide · Aug 26, 2014

It will happen less and less the longer you practice. Don't let it bother you. If they want to see the doctor let them see the doctor.

I respond: "sure, let the front desk know you want to see Dr, he's booking about 4 months out, if I can help you sooner, feel free to return"

harmonizer · Aug 27, 2014

I will just let them see MD without trying to persuade or misrepresent anything. It is their choice. It happened to me several times before and I was tempted to use ambiguous term to represent myself to next patients and I fear of directly mentioning my credential... but then on reflection... I will try my best not to misrepresent myself or make my credential ambiguous (like so many NPs do). I made it clear in the beginning that I am an NP in a specialty, not a PA, assistant, or MD and perform some similar tasks as MD. I am not going to give credits from my hard-work to MD or PA, which will contribute to the lack of visibility of our profession.

Many times the office staff misrepresented us to patient and made them think that they would see a physician.. then a few of them get upset and surpised to see an NP instead. I would rather have a patient refusing me as an NP rather than disguising myself for one patient's acceptance.... At least, I am doing something good for our specialty and profession. ...

phillycpnp-pc, MSN, RN, NP · Aug 27, 2014

As a new NP only 6 months out, i use take this personally. I'm starting to have my own little following and some patients are only requesting me, so it doesn't bother me as much and i don't take personally anymore. Similar to Boston, i tell patients that you were scheduled with me but if want to see the DR. you have to go up to the front desk and ask the scheduler to put in with the MD, but it may be a wait.

When i was on call over the weekend, i actually had a parent argue with me as to why she wasn't speaking with a dr. I told her the NPs and MDs share call and simply said, it 12 am on Saturday night and I'm the only one on call, but if you want to still speak with a dr, you have the option of go to any of the local ERs. lol She didn't like that option and proceeded to tell me her concerns.

mahaandai · Aug 27, 2014

On the contrary, I had patients who liked to see only NP instead of MD providers.

Let me admit though that these patients had well searched on google, and were very well informed that NPs were better than MDs in listening and caring for their patients.

orangepink, NP · Aug 28, 2014

How about when fellow MDs dont recognize you as a colleague? How do you deal with that?

For example, I do all follow ups for my collaborating physician, Dr Xyz. Whenever I see a pt, my name is on the notes instead of dr Xyz since it's already a follow up. So when I was on vacation, one pt called the on call practitioner which was another MD let's say dr abc. When she would log in her notes, she'd refer that "after reading dr Xyz notes". But dr Xyz only saw that pt once on the initial visit. The rest were my notes.

Most of the time this MD, dr abc, doesn't even acknowledge my existence. The only time we talk is during the monthly doctors meeting and only if necessary. I try not to let it bother me when she doesn't say hi. I just got irked when I saw her on call notes. But oh well.

Honestly, in my daily interactions with patients & other providers, It seems like there is an uphill battle to climb...that I have to prove my capabilities every minute of the day.

allnurses Guide · Aug 28, 2014

How about when fellow MDs dont recognize you as a colleague? How do you deal with that?
For example, I do all follow ups for my collaborating physician, Dr Xyz. Whenever I see a pt, my name is on the notes instead of dr Xyz since it's already a follow up. So when I was on vacation, one pt called the on call practitioner which was another MD let's say dr abc. When she would log in her notes, she'd refer that "after reading dr Xyz notes". But dr Xyz only saw that pt once on the initial visit. The rest were my notes.
Most of the time this MD, dr abc, doesn't even acknowledge my existence. The only time we talk is during the monthly doctors meeting and only if necessary. I try not to let it bother me when she doesn't say hi. I just got irked when I saw her on call notes. But oh well.
Honestly, in my daily interactions with patients & other providers, It seems like there is an uphill battle to climb...that I have to prove my capabilities every minute of the day.

You are worrying way too much about this.

TammyG · Aug 28, 2014

I agree with BostonFNP, bleep 'em. Some MDs just have bad habits, or maybe that is how they deal with their own NPs. I really am completely unbothered by that type of stuff. I try to take the opportunity to educate people (patients, the public, MDs) when it makes itself available, otherwise I work on doing my job well. I consider that my part in raising the profile of the profession.

GrumpyRN, NP · Aug 28, 2014

I agree with BostonFNP, bleep 'em. Some MDs just have bad habits, or maybe that is how they deal with their own NPs. I really am completely unbothered by that type of stuff. I try to take the opportunity to educate people (patients, the public, MDs) when it makes itself available, otherwise I work on doing my job well. I consider that my part in raising the profile of the profession.

Absolutely agree with this.

In one ED I worked in we had morning trauma meetings with the orthopaedic doctors. We found that whatever we were doing was wrong and after comments such as "Well, you would expect them to have gone to medical school" about a set of notes - written by a doctor in this case. The Nurse Practitioner team stopped attending. Our medical staff are happy with what we do and that is what counts.

As for patients, if they want a doctor they can have one - no biggie.

Biggest problems tend to be Americans - no disrespect intended or meant - who ask "Who is going to read my X-Rays". Yeah, that will be me, it's part of what I get paid for.

Referring to other speciality doctors - plastic surgeons, orthopaedics etc. should not be a problem in this day as NP's have been around for a long time.

Trauma Columnist · Aug 28, 2014

GrumpyRN - may I ask if you practice in the US? Or another country? Or are you from another country?

GrumpyRN, NP · Aug 28, 2014

I'm an Emergency Nurse Practitioner in Scotland.

BritFNP · Aug 30, 2014

I tell them they scheduled with me, today they would be seeing me. Next time though, as to not waste anyones time, they can schedule with the MD.