To MD or Not to MD
Dear Nichole,
I recently read a blog by a med student named MD31. His basic premise seems to be that nurses should stay at the bed side for continued service to the patient as well as the MD. He states that advancing our degrees only contributes to the nursing shortage if RN's go on to further their degree. He further states that MD students have MD's who precept them but the APN lacks models and people with certification and education to precept them. He does admit that the APN does have advanced doctorate levels that are adequate to educate the upcomig APN, however do to diminished pay many of the doctorate degree prepared APN's have also had to continue with their practice. This tends to decrease the desirablity of advancing to a doctorate level.
I believe that as long as the APN needs a collaborative physician in order to practice our autonomy will always be threatened by the AMA. I say hail to those hero's who have attained their doctorate degree in nursing. I believe we need more intense lobbying to become autonomous from the powerful AMA's foothold as they view us as competitors.