When I became a nurse practitioner, I had no idea the contraversial role I would find myself in. As a registered nurse, I was never questioned for my motives. It is a well respected role. I was good at it, and I am smart. The next logical step for my career was to become a nurse practitioner. But whoa. Suddenly, my training, my motives, and my future plans were all in question. How can you possibly have a clue what you're doing when your school is online? (The guy with the MBA also got his Master's online but no one is questioning that OR mentioning the 700+ clinical hours I had to get OR the 5 years bedside nursing experience I had prior to going back to school!) You must've done this so you can make more money? How much do you make? You're really good at your job, when will you become a doctor?
The patient's questions really don't bother me. They really don't know and I don't mind explaining to them that I don't ever intend to become a physician. (They all seem shocked by this.).
The problem I have the most is the culture of hatred and animosity from physicians. Let me stop here to say that some of my favorite people in the world are physicians. Some of the smartest people I know are physicians. And fortunately, I have had the pleasure over the last decade to have amazing relationships with these physicians and learned so very much from many of them.
But, spend 3-5 minutes on Google or reading the news feed of a few new(ish) physicians and you will find they do not like nurse practitioners. Without speaking for a whole group of professionals, it appears they feel their very role, title, and all the prestige that comes along with it is being threatened by a group of very unprepared, undereducated (mostly) women. They question our experience, our education, and our motives as well.
I did not become a nurse practitioner to compete with physicians. I was told there was a huge shortage of physicians and I could HELP them. I actually became a NP to become a teammate of the very people who have so very little nice things to say about my profession. My goal was absolutely not to take over anyone's job but to work alongside them and to help them provide the very best care for their patients-- for our patients.
I don't have the same education as a physician, nor do I ever claim to. Nurse practitioners do, however, have the unique blend of nursing school + countless shifts working side by side with patients and physicians + a master's program (which may be in a classroom or online) + an additional 700ish clinical hours precepted by physicians or other nurse practitioners. So instead of saying "how can they possibly go to school online and do this?"--- remember that NP school is only a fraction of that whole experience. Plus, in my very millennial-ish opinion, you absolutely can do almost anything online.
I recently read an article where a newly graduated physician was mortified that he, along with NPs and PAs, were called providers. How dare he be clumped together with those so far beneath him?! I get it. The amount of work, time, exhaustion, school it takes to become a physician is insane. It's a monumental accomplishment and not something to share with those who didn't go through the same hell you did. I correct every person who calls me Dr. Brooks and remind them that I have no earned that title. I used to absolutely hate, hate, hate it when a medical assistant called themselves a nurse for all the same reasons and now I tell my patients "My nurse (medical assistant) will be right in.". Because although we understand all the layers we have in healthcare, our patients don't. You're either a nurse or a doctor.
Instead of wasting our time and energy trying to fight for our pride, we should totally be fighting for healthcare reform. A healthcare system that provides true care for our patients and not just a check box system where we corral people in and out in 15 minutes and meet our metrics. Our patients don't care if we meet them. They care if we heard them and actually took care of them. If we took our eyes off of our computer and looked them in the eyes. If we gave them the chance to ask the questions they really had. Instead of click, click, click, see you in 3 months.
My heart is broken. It is so full of the desire to make a difference in every life I touch. It is full of the compassion to hug the brand new window and let her cry to me how much she misses her husband and how lost and lonely she feels. I can't do that in a 15 minute time slot. But, this is the sole reason I became a nurse (practitioner). To make a difference in every life I touch. To be respected and appreciated as a valid member of the team (not a tyrant trying to get rid of the team!).
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