Patients Acceptance of Nurse Practitioners

Nursing is a broad field with limitless possibilities; one of those possibilities included is a nurse practitioner. A nurse practitioner is an advanced practice nurse that is capable of furthering care for patients. Nurse practitioners are able to see and treat their own patients, plus be a part of collaborative care. When patients visit the physician’s office, most are now being treated only by a nurse practitioner and may never actually see a physician. Although Nurse Practitioners are highly capable and educated to administer care to patients in all settings; patients are becoming unwilling and somewhat reluctant to be seen by anyone but a physician.

Nurse Practitioners, through schooling, clinical experience and workplace experience are exceedingly capable to deliver care to patients. Nurse practitioners are able to specialize and work in almost any field they desire, such as pediatrics, family care and gerontology but according to the Health Resources and Services Administration, “the vast majority of nurse practitioners, about 65%, are employed in ambulatory or primary care (as cited in Poghosyan, Lucero, Rauch, & Berkowitz., 2012). As of 2015, to become a nurse practitioner one must obtain a doctorate in nursing practice degree. With the increase in schooling, nurse practitioners are becoming even more educated and equipped to deliver high quality care. Although nurse practitioners receive the same schooling and are equally qualified to do their job, each state has their own scope of practice for what they can do. According to Pearson, “in some states, nurse practitioners provide care without any involvement from a physician. In other states, providing the same care requires that nurse practitioners collaborate or even be...

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...alth care reform but in to place has now expanded the scope of practice for non-physician practitioners so more and more patients will be seeing nurse practitioners. Nurse practitioners are more than qualified for their jobs and are also compassionate, caring and empathic. If patients would become more accepting, nurse practitioners will have limitless possibilities with their career.

Works Cited

Larkin, G. L., & Hooker, R. S. (2010). Patient Willingness to Be Seen by Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, and Residents in the Emergency Department: Does the Presumption of Assent Have an Empirical Basis?. American Journal Of Bioethics, 10(8), 1-10. doi:10.1080/15265161.2010.494216

Poghosyan, L., Lucero, R., Rauch, L., & Berkowitz, B. (2012). Nurse Practitioner Workforce: A Substantial Supply of Primary Care Providers. Nursing Economic$. 30(5), 268-294.