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A Conversation of One

I love this. Fellow blogger (and I mean fellow only that he blogs, not that I can ever approach the level of "care" that he provides) just loves to rant about NPs. We aren't smart enough, we don't know what we don't know, provide good "nursing education" to our patients, we believe what we do is "good", are good at kissing boo-boos and holding hands, is at it yet again. (I think when his traffic is down, he decides to post about NPs and how "inadequate" he "thinks" we are to drive his blog traffic up.) It's really interesting - he harps on about how bad NPs are (i.e. we are mindless monkeys that can code a good level 5 visit) - he even has an "anonymous" NP post comments that claims their education didn't prepare her for the real world.

I am so over it. I've left respectful comments on his blog only to get shot down. He continues to denigrate NP practice and gets his fellow "colleagues" to add further belittling comments. It must be nice to hide behind his "happy" exterior without fear of ramification. I guess that's why some choose to blog anonymously - say whatever you want yet show up at work the next day and put on a good face to all of the NPs and nursing staff and they have no idea that you threw them under the bus in one of your many blog posts.

The sad thing to me is that I enjoy most of his humor and posts. I'm sure he is a relatively good guy. Well anyway, that's the difference - some choose to hide behind an exterior and say whatever is on their mind. Some others choose to be a real person with no hidden agenda and not hide behind the anonymity that the Internet affords. I suppose that is the beauty of anonymous blogging. Nonetheless, I hope he continues dialoguing with himself and continues to be 'happy.' At least I have a clear conscience when I post.....

Comments

Nice job Stephen making up your own woefully inadequate truth regarding my position. I speak truth. You choose to ignore it. I don't blame you for a lack appropriate perspective from which to view my position. As for my blogging I blog openly at my place of work. There are many an MD, RN, NP, and PA that know. It is not insulting to state the obvious. That I find my training offers a vastly superior educational foundation from which I practice should be offensive to no one except those who mock the value of medical education. Read what I write with an objective mind and the truth shall set you free
HELLO, feel free to visit my nursing site:

cheers,
>>Nursing Care Plans<<
Jane Know said…
Wow, how condescending is he?

Yet, I do agree with the Happy Hospitalist that a medical education is superior to nurse practitioner programs. I don't know who would dispute that.

But he's forgetting that most NPs have been in the real world practicing as nurses for several years, too. That real world experience counts for something that you can't learn in a medical textbook in school. Further, NP programs have pretty rigorous academic standards themselves, these days.

Anyway, once we are all out there practicing as MDs and NPs in primary care settings, we are on pretty even playing fields. I know incompetent doctors and superior NPs. That is not a generalization about either profession, just a statement that sometimes the best education is on-the-job, and also variable depending on the individual.

To me, it seems like the Happy Hospitalists may be focusing a bit too much on the status of MDs, and not as much on solving real world problems like primary care provider shortages and health care costs for people who can't afford doctors.
Anonymous said…
But he's forgetting that most NPs have been in the real world practicing as nurses for several years, too. That real world experience counts for something that you can't learn in a medical textbook in school. Further, NP programs have pretty rigorous academic standards themselves, these days.

The problem is with your argument is as follows:

1: Nurses are trained to be nurses not doctors. So the "real world" experience may or may not be relevent. Just like doctors are trained to be doctors not nurses. Not a knock just a truth. An RN does not train one to be an MD and visa versa (though there obviously is some overlap). For example, I suspect the vast majority of nurses know much much more about what goes with what in the IV. It would be incredibly arrogant (and stupid) for me to start talking about a subject I know little about. So why is it OK for you to do the same?

2: Doctor's DO HAVE a little real world experience before going out on there own. It's called residency and fellowship. Yes those now 80 hour work weeks (no limit five years ago) for 3-8 years in which one is supervised before ever touching a patient on their own.

"Anyway, once we are all out there practicing as MDs and NPs in primary care settings, we are on pretty even playing fields"

If you really feel it is a "level playing field" I simply fear for your patients (and your malpractice insurer). Look I work with NP/PA's and firmly believe they have a significant role in medicine today. That is the reality of the situation. But they are NOT a replacement for an MD. I have seen too many consults over the years from NP's that simply could be managed by a good internist. Hey it's easy money for me but a waste of money for medicare. Alternatively I have seen too many consults in the hospital that had an NP "PCP" that clearly had no clue what they where looking at in the clinic world. Sorry that's the truth. That doesn't mean every doc is good. They aren't and you and I avoid them.
Very simply an NP degree doesn't mean one is on a "even playing field" as a board-certified MD. I am sorry you and the author of this blog don't get it. You can't condense my 10 years of training (med school, residency, and fellowship) into a 2 year NP program. That's the truth.
Kerry Stoick said…
Im so glad Stephen that you are a strong enough person to care about people, truly. You dont even have to use strange names like "The Happy Hospitalist" (who is very sad), and other strange names to hide behind. "Anonymous"... Hard to take anyone seriously who can argue with someone and not even have enough courage to use their real names. Thank you Stephen!
OH, yes...
Kerry Stoick, FNP

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