Dear Paula Whittle,
Your comment regarding the need for APN schools to teach us what we really need to know to be good providers and that their education and knowledge is so much better. This sounds rather antiquated to me. We know that research indicates that APN’s give quality health care in a cost effective manner. Many states still specify that physicians must supervise the practice of APN’s. This means supervising APN’s, whose knowledge is based on nutritional, psychosocial, teaching, health promotion and minor illness management that are based on content that is foreign to them. We as nurses have a nurturing and caring touch mindset while MD’s have a illness cure mindset. This may play a part in why 86% of the population prefers to see APN’s rather than MD’s and we take a competency test through certifying bodies to attest to our quality and safety of practice. Stay out of turf wars which are meant to restrict our scope of practice and advance their own professional interests rather than the consumers. Both APN’s and MD’s are in the health care arena. (AACN, n.d.)
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/government-affairs/AACN-Letter-FTC-APRN_Practice.pdf
http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2011/07/25/prsc0727.htm
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/apn-roles
http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2011/01/worsen-nursing-shortage-nurse-practitioners.html

Dear Paula,
Sorry it has taken so long for me to respond to your post. I have done some research that I hope may help with this dilemma. Remember we are looking at the same field health care. Somehow since the nursing profession was first launched, we were made to feel difference to the physician such as wearing a nursing cap, giving up our chair if an MD needed it. We have come a long way since then and must be proud of the accomplishments we have made and can now do. Nurses provide quality health care through nursing skills, such as, listening, supporting, teaching, caring, and not medicine only. This is evidenced by the fact that 86% of the public would be willing to revive their primary care needs form an APN. A recent opinion survey reported by the American Colleges of nursing find that the general public respects nurses more than any other heal care provider: knowing that we can provide the same quality of care for less the cost, why should we think about going to med school.
Please Note:
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/government-affairs/AACN-Letter-FTC-APRN_Practice.pdf
http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2011/07/25/prsc0727.htm
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/apn-roles
http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2011/01/worsen-nursing-shortage-nurse-practitioners.html

Dear Nichol,
Sorry I have taken so long to respond to your post. Now that I have done research in this area I feel I am better able to give more thought to the issue at hand. The name of this issue seems to entail health care reform, not medical reform. We must understand that medicine is not the only health care profession or the largest. Nursing is indeed in the business of health care. According to studies, we deliver the same quality of health care that is cost effective. There may be turf wars, but with the help of the Federal Trade Commission finding cause for anti competitive practices that lead to restriction to our scope of practice while protecting medical professional interests rather than the consumers. With the projected physician shortage, the APN will eventually emerge as a much needed and easily accessed providers of core elements of basic primary care as projected by American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (AACN, n.d.)
Please Note:
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/government-affairs/AACN-Letter-FTC-APRN_Practice.pdf
http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2011/07/25/prsc0727.htm
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/apn-roles
http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2011/01/worsen-nursing-shortage-nurse-practitioners.html

Dear Paula,
Congratualtions on your recent psych. NP degree. I agree until nurses and the associations we belong to pull it together which is highly unlikely since nurses tend to fight against themselves insead of supporting one another for the cause of advancing their profession. In addition to this problem along with the lack of power and finances, as well as, political representation the AMA will continue to bully us in the arena to protect their turff. I find two needs within the nurse pratctioner field (1) stronger lobbying and (2) spending less time on capstone projects and more time in clinical practice. I agree that med school undoubtedly give them a better edge on how and why to treat. The only delemma that stands in the way of going to med school is that we now have families and are older in years and probably working also to support our families. How is med school feesable? I appreciated your response to my blog.
Please Note:
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/government-affairs/AACN-Letter-FTC-APRN_Practice.pdf
http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2011/07/25/prsc0727.htm
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/apn-roles
http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2011/01/worsen-nursing-shortage-nurse-practitioners.html

Debbie,
I feel your pain. I recently graduated as a Psych NP. I find that I am limited in my options. I was lucky enough to go into private practice/self employed which is where the real money is for our profession. However, I will say that on average I get paid 80% of what a physician bills for the same days work. I do rely on my collaborative quite often (but then I am new and would as a new MD as well). I think it is relative. I have spent 8 yrs total in school which is about the same as an MD. Their education and knowledge of how and why to treat is so much better because they did not spend and insane amount of their education on nursing process, research and writing papers, but rather in patient care. All in all, I tell students if you EVER think you may possibly one day want to be a provider...GO PRE-MED! At least until nurses and the associations we belong pull it together and teach what we really need to be good providers. Even the new DNP programs are about "capstone" projects and research. When I was sharing experiences with MD students and fellow MDs they could not understand why I was having to spend so much time on these projects and not in clinical practice.
Paula Whittle APRN-NP

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To MD or Not to MD that is the question.
Debbie, you pose a great question. I am espeially interested in this because I am a graduate assistant who works with beginning nursing students who are asking themselves the same question. One of my current students plans on switching tracks to become a surgeon. I generally ask students what they REALLY want to do first. Then I ask them what first brought them to the nursing track. What are they passionate about, how do they see themselves making a difference, and then talk about feasibility and options. For me nursing was the way to go and I have spent about the equivalent amount of years in school as it would have taken to become an MD. my nursing career grew with me as a person and with me accademically. I was not the "go getter" in high school and early in college. I had to realize my ability and passion as I went and my nursing opportunities expanded wigth me. For me I needed the journey to beocome who I am and I am still discovering my potenital as I grow and learn more about myself and what my passion is and how I want to make a difference. I wouldn't change my journey for anything.
Nicole Fortlage
Created By: Fortlage, NicoleOn: Mon, Sep 17, 2012 11:31 AM

Hi Debbie,
I agree with you! I can sympathize and empathize with you. I was a single parent of 4 children when I started nursing school. I've spent enough time in school as an undergrad and grad student (10 years!) and I should have went to medical school. Let's not discuss the amount of student loans I had to take out to assist with paying for school. Although my children are adults, it is just as costly now then it was when they were children. I want to better myself and my philosphy is...ANYTHING WORTH HAVING IS WORTH WORKING FOR! So, off to work I go. Keep your head and spirits up. The reward is worth it.
April Powers