A Nurse Practitioner's View

I thought that I'd start this post with a definition of collaborate (via Merriam-Webster On-Line) : Main Entry: col·lab·o·rate Pronunciation:\kə-ˈla-bə-ˌrāt\ Function: intransitive verb Inflected Form(s): col·lab·o·rat·ed; col·lab·o·rat·ing Etymology: Late Latin collaboratus, past participle of collaborare to labor together, from Latin com- + laborare to labor Date: 1871 1 : to work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor Working jointly with others or together. Isn't that what most providers do when caring for our patients? NPs collaborate with physicians, other NPs, physical therapists, pharmacists, nurses, etc. Physicians also collaborate amongst themselves and with other members of the health care team. I bring this up because the majority of states require a collaborative relationship between an NP and MD. (Conversely, some states use an independent practice model while others use a supervisory one). The regulations among models can vary sig...