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My Dw's PCP [Primary Care Physician] is a NP [Nurse Practitioner].
You said
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Originally Posted by forest beekeeper
My Dw's Primary Care Physician is a NP.
I said
Quote:
An NP is not a physician. S/he's a nurse.
A nurse is not a physician.
PCP = Primary Care Provider, and may not necessarily be a physician. I want my primary care provider to be a physician. They know more and have more experience. I would not want to see an NP or PA for anything except routine followup and very few new problems.
I want my primary care provider to be a physician. They know more and have more experience. I would not want to see an NP or PA for anything except routine followup and very few new problems.
This I agree with. Maybe the area I live in has a poor health care system. It seems like every place I call within the city limits has a policy of sending you to a PA or NP, rather than the doctor. It's almost like an exclusive club.
When I see PAs and NPs, I get the feeling that they like to act and feel like they are one of the "big boys". No offense to anybody in the those fields, but a doctor is a doctor for a reason. Call it ignorant bias, but I just feel more comfortable with a doctor, who has hours and hours more worth of experience and traning, diagnosing me than a PA or NP. Am I wrong to feel this way?
Last edited by Z3N1TH 0N3; 02-01-2011 at 11:13 AM..
... PCP = Primary Care Provider, and may not necessarily be a physician. I want my primary care provider to be a physician. They know more and have more experience. I would not want to see an NP or PA for anything except routine followup and very few new problems.
Okay
From the 70's until I retired in 2001 my medical care was provided to me by the Federal government. With very few exceptions it was done by corpsmen with 6-weeks of training [or more].
I have had broken bones set, and suturing done by corpsmen for years.
I have even assisted as corpsmen have performed dental surgeries, treated a wide assortment of industrial accident injuries [heavy weights fall on people, high-pressure hydraulic systems explode, fires, etc].
Once I got married my Dw was likewise treated by the same medical care system that treated me; and our children have all been treated by corpsmen.
Corpsmen have done all of my and my families regular periodic physical exams for over 20 years. So I do have a bit of respect for everyone who works in the medical profession.
Currently I am treated by a doctor who has a medical degree, this is a different level of care than what I got while on Active Duty.
But my Dw still prefers the less rushed attitude of NPs.
From the 70's until I retired in 2001 my medical care was provided to me by the Federal government. With very few exceptions it was done by corpsmen with 6-weeks of training [or more].
I have had broken bones set, and suturing done by corpsmen for years.
I have even assisted as corpsmen have performed dental surgeries, treated a wide assortment of industrial accident injuries [heavy weights fall on people, high-pressure hydraulic systems explode, fires, etc].
Once I got married my Dw was likewise treated by the same medical care system that treated me; and our children have all been treated by corpsmen.
Corpsmen have done all of my and my families regular periodic physical exams for over 20 years. So I do have a bit of respect for everyone who works in the medical profession.
Currently I am treated by a doctor who has a medical degree, this is a different level of care than what I got while on Active Duty.
But my Dw still prefers the less rushed attitude of NPs.
I think military corpsmen make the best PAs, by the way.
Non-doctor practitioners would be a wonderful way to reduce the galloping escalation of health care costs in this country, except for one thing. They would keep right on charging the same high prices for office calls as if the the doctor had actually seen you.
Many do not realize how much they do not know, and some realize their deficiencies but then order a lot of specialty consultations for conditions that their physician should be able to handle.
Wow - coming from someone who ROUTINELY gives medical advice on a forum!
The limitations put on nurse practitioners vary from state to state, since each state has its own medical board. Generally though, nurses cannot prescribe controlled substances, they can prescribe antibiotics and things like that, but nothing that is considered "controlled" medications by the government. Also, quite often, they are supervised by the physician, meaning the physician signs off on the nurse practitioner's work/patient charts.
Not true, as an NP I am able to prescribe controlled substances - Schedule II-V, which is pretty much everything as schedule I includes such things as marijuana, heroin, mescalin.
Wow - coming from someone who ROUTINELY gives medical advice on a forum!
There are good midlevel providers and some are not so good. A significant number quickly get out of their depth and punt by making referrals, especially if they are associated with a family practice situation. They just do not have either the fund of knowledge or the experience of an M.D. or a D.O. A psychiatrist I know got a referral from a NP to treat a patient for "anxiety." When he reported to her that the patient was a drug seeker and did not have an anxiety disorder, she could only keep saying, "But how are you going to treat his anxiety?" And this was a drug seeker the shrink could spot within 5 minutes.
It depends in large measure how close the physician supervision is. Certified nurse midwives in a collaborative practice with an obstetrician are usually excellent. NPs and PAs in specialty practices may know more than some physicians about their particular field.
I still want a physician for my primary care person and if I am referred to a specialist, I want to see the specialist, not his PA.
Wow - coming from someone who ROUTINELY gives medical advice on a forum!
My thoughts exactly....
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