Nurse Practitioners vs. Physician Assistants:
With a shortage of healthcare workers, you may find yourself being examined by either a Nurse Practitioner (NP) or Physician Assistant (PA) on your next visit to the doctor's office. These professionals are trained in using a wide range of diagnostic tools to identify and treat chronic, acute or episodic conditions, and work under the direction of or in collaboration with physicians.
PAs and NPs often are more readily available to spend quality time with patients, and to probe into health conditions. While physicians are better trained, NPs and PAs may fill the gap by ordering and conducting diagnostic tests and lab work, even perform some in-office procedures, prescribe medications, and diagnose and treat health conditions like high blood pressure, injuries, infections and diabetes (depending on the regulations of the state in which they're practicing.)
So on your next visit to the doctor, don't be alarmed if a PA or NP performs much or all of your exam. PAs must complete at least a masters level education and over 2,000 clinical practice hours in advance of certification. A certifying exam is necessary within six years of completion of the PA degree. Only after completion of the certification exam is a PA eligible for state licensure and allowed to practice care. NPs are typically required to attend a four-year nursing program, obtain a doctoral or master's degree, and go through a national certification process. A great deal of real world experience is gathered throughout this process, and they also undergo periodic peer reviews and participate in continuing education courses.
Ultimately the quality of care you receive will determine whether a PA or NP is a good fit for you. Patients often look up to physicians, but if you're comfortable with the level of attention you're getting from a PA or NP, you may decide to leave the legwork to them, saving your consults with the doctor for a more comprehensive review or confirmation of results previously completed by PAs and NPs. For more specialization you may also want to be referred to a physician.
