Anonymous
Post 10/19/2012 17:20     Subject: s/o Do you ask for a doctor instead of a nurse practitioner?
Anonymous wrote:The NP's I know have a BA or BS in anything (not necessarily nursing), plus a one to two year certification program (it si technically not a masters degree, but some say it is - it is a certification program - certificates are very different than masters degrees). The certification requires no screening or acceptance level testing. There are comps only.

NP's have been required to be master's prepared for YEARS...
You may see a few left with BS degrees that were grandfathered in but those are very few and far between.
Sitting for the NP license exam requires documentation that you have graduated from a NLN accredited School of Nursing. Almost any school (that is credible) requires a BSN to qualify for a MSN program. Many do offer a bridge program where you have a BS or BA outside of Nursing, at one point in the program they award the BSN. At that point you may take the exam for your RN license. You then you go on to the MSN which qualifies you to sit for the board for your NP license.
Anonymous
Post 10/19/2012 17:17     Subject: s/o Do you ask for a doctor instead of a nurse practitioner?
PAs have lots of training. PA school is rigorous.
Anonymous
Post 10/19/2012 17:14     Subject: s/o Do you ask for a doctor instead of a nurse practitioner?
Anonymous wrote:I see a PA, which I think is the same thing, right? I love her, and think she's great.

That being said, my sis-in-law is a PA and is a moron. Not sure how she keeps a job, actually.

PA's are not the same as NP's.
Physician Assistants are certified, but practice under the license of the physician.
Nurse Practitioners are independently licensed by the board of nursing and can therefore perform many things independent of physician oversight.
PA's need MD's to sign off on progress notes, prescriptions, and orders.
NP's only need co-signature in very specific circumstances as dictated by the practice act of their state.
PA services are not independently billable, only billed under the physican, NP's can be billed independently as they are eligible for third party reimbursement.
Anonymous
Post 10/19/2012 16:47     Subject: s/o Do you ask for a doctor instead of a nurse practitioner?
it depends on the person. our ped has a fantastic NP on staff!
Anonymous
Post 10/19/2012 16:23     Subject: s/o Do you ask for a doctor instead of a nurse practitioner?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I see a PA, which I think is the same thing, right? I love her, and think she's great.

That being said, my sis-in-law is a PA and is a moron. Not sure how she keeps a job, actually.


A PA is NOT the same thing. NPs are highly educated professionals with lots of experience, graduate degrees, and stringent licensing requirements. In most states, PAs do not even have to have a bachelors, but merely have completed 1-2 years of vocational training. Even in states where a bachelors is required, it does not have to be a specialized degree (like an RN would have). In a larger hospital or HMO setting, billing practices often result in inadequate supervision of PAs (Doctors are often not allowed to bill for additional time with the patient to double-check the work of the PA). This probably isn't usually a problem, but I would prefer not to be the victim of a mistake.

I generally prefer to see an MD, though NPs are usually highly qualified and highly educated. If your doctor's office is having you see a PA solo, you should definitely switch practices.


you have actually no idea what a PA is, what kind of training is required, and how they are certified. clearly. none whatsoever.
Anonymous
Post 10/19/2012 16:16     Subject: Re:s/o Do you ask for a doctor instead of a nurse practitioner?
I want a board certified doctor who went to Med school in the US, not Mexico or the Carribean. I got into an argument with a receptionist at a doctor's office when I asked if a doctor was board certified. I wanted to book with the board certified doctor and she kept trying to book me with the doctor who went to Med school in Mexico and wasn't board certified. She kept yelling that she had hadn't heard of it so it must not be important.
Anonymous
Post 10/19/2012 16:07     Subject: Re:s/o Do you ask for a doctor instead of a nurse practitioner?
Anonymous wrote:I prefer to see an NP for routine stuff. I think they listen better and they are just as capable for well child visits, coughs, bumps and bruises. If I think something isn't getting better or I think it's more complicated, I ask for the doctor. I've had some great NPs who were very capable and who were ready to call in a doctor as needed.


This is key. Loved the NP at my son's first pediatric practice (we've moved since then), she took tons of time with us when we were new parents and definitely consulted the doctor when she needed to.
Anonymous
Post 10/19/2012 16:04     Subject: s/o Do you ask for a doctor instead of a nurse practitioner?
I think 15:31 is confusing medical assistants with physician's assistants.
Anonymous
Post 10/19/2012 16:03     Subject: s/o Do you ask for a doctor instead of a nurse practitioner?
Anonymous wrote:At my child's pediatric office, there are many docs and a nurse practioner. We don't have a specific primary care doctor as we've seen them all over the years.

I would prefer that my child be seen by the doctor since we are paying the same for an office visit, and there is obviously an advantage to someone who has advanced education and experience on medical issues that may be affecting children (or anyone, but for this example it's children).

Is there a polite way to say, when given an appt with the NP, "I would prefer to see a doctor"? I've noted that in about 10 years of experience with different medical offices, the staff tries to make you feel guilty for discerning between an NP and an MD.


No, don't think they make you feel guilty at all! Even if they are, which would be bizarre. Simply say, I would like my appointment with Dr X or Y, simple as that. Do not even dwell on it. You already are polite!
Anonymous
Post 10/19/2012 16:02     Subject: s/o Do you ask for a doctor instead of a nurse practitioner?
Anonymous wrote:I am a Physician Assistant and I prefer you ask ahead of time. Everyone has preferences for all sorts of reasons. The worst is when someone gets to see me and is bummed they are not seeing the doctor.

Just ask--no hard feelings where I work.


OP here, understood, thanks for your perspective!
Anonymous
Post 10/19/2012 15:59     Subject: s/o Do you ask for a doctor instead of a nurse practitioner?
15:59 here. In other words, whomever pays for the certificate gets one.
Anonymous
Post 10/19/2012 15:59     Subject: s/o Do you ask for a doctor instead of a nurse practitioner?
The NP's I know have a BA or BS in anything (not necessarily nursing), plus a one to two year certification program (it si technically not a masters degree, but some say it is - it is a certification program - certificates are very different than masters degrees). The certification requires no screening or acceptance level testing. There are comps only.
Anonymous
Post 10/19/2012 15:31     Subject: s/o Do you ask for a doctor instead of a nurse practitioner?
Anonymous wrote:I see a PA, which I think is the same thing, right? I love her, and think she's great.

That being said, my sis-in-law is a PA and is a moron. Not sure how she keeps a job, actually.


A PA is NOT the same thing. NPs are highly educated professionals with lots of experience, graduate degrees, and stringent licensing requirements. In most states, PAs do not even have to have a bachelors, but merely have completed 1-2 years of vocational training. Even in states where a bachelors is required, it does not have to be a specialized degree (like an RN would have). In a larger hospital or HMO setting, billing practices often result in inadequate supervision of PAs (Doctors are often not allowed to bill for additional time with the patient to double-check the work of the PA). This probably isn't usually a problem, but I would prefer not to be the victim of a mistake.

I generally prefer to see an MD, though NPs are usually highly qualified and highly educated. If your doctor's office is having you see a PA solo, you should definitely switch practices.
Anonymous
Post 10/19/2012 15:27     Subject: Re:s/o Do you ask for a doctor instead of a nurse practitioner?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I am an NP and I would generally prefer to see the doctor. But at the same time I have had many missed diagnoses by MD's. The bottom line is: see someone you are comfortable with, someone you are comfortable asking questions to, and someone you find to be competent. That being said, I have had a positive experience seeing a PA at the OB/GYN office and was really impressed with her knowledge. I know several really good and intelligent PA's that I would rather see over some physicians.


I'm an NP as well and I always seen physicians except for VERY simple things like strep throat, pap smears, etc.
It's sad but honestly I don't have a great deal of confidence in my own profession. There are some GREAT NPs but also many, many bad ones who are incredibly undertrained My husband is an internist (MD) and he trained for 7 years. I trained for 18 months. These days, you can become an NP online. Enough said.


All of the NP's at my child's practice are RNs with Masters degrees. Their bios are publicly available online.


yes, it's an 18 month master's degree. I have one.
Anonymous
Post 10/19/2012 15:17     Subject: Re:s/o Do you ask for a doctor instead of a nurse practitioner?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I am an NP and I would generally prefer to see the doctor. But at the same time I have had many missed diagnoses by MD's. The bottom line is: see someone you are comfortable with, someone you are comfortable asking questions to, and someone you find to be competent. That being said, I have had a positive experience seeing a PA at the OB/GYN office and was really impressed with her knowledge. I know several really good and intelligent PA's that I would rather see over some physicians.


I'm an NP as well and I always seen physicians except for VERY simple things like strep throat, pap smears, etc.
It's sad but honestly I don't have a great deal of confidence in my own profession. There are some GREAT NPs but also many, many bad ones who are incredibly undertrained My husband is an internist (MD) and he trained for 7 years. I trained for 18 months. These days, you can become an NP online. Enough said.


All of the NP's at my child's practice are RNs with Masters degrees. Their bios are publicly available online.