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AIBU?

To not want to see a Nurse Practitioner.

148 replies

Selks · 07/11/2013 08:27

Have just rung the GP for a Drs appointment today after being ill for a fortnight and having a suspected kidney infection. The collective advice of MN and NHS direct said I should see a Dr ASAP.
The only appt offered to me was with a nurse practitioner. I spoke to the duty Dr and that is all they will offer me. No disrespect intended to nurse practitioners but after being misdiagnosed by the nurse practitioner before for an unrelated issue I am not keen to see them again for a condition that if misdiagnosed could potentially end me up in hospital. Dr was unwavering when I voiced my concerns.
AIBU to want to see an actual Dr?

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Tee2072 · 07/11/2013 08:28

YABU

You are blaming all NPs for one mistake from one NP. I have had much better care from NPs than from Drs many many times.

If you are ill enough to see someone, see someone.

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Gileswithachainsaw · 07/11/2013 08:30

Are you seein the same Np as before?

Tbh I don't think you have a choice. Seeing someone is better than seeing no one and theoretically if you need a dr they will get you an appointment.

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Selks · 07/11/2013 08:30

I am happy to be persuaded that I am wrong, by the way.

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Gileswithachainsaw · 07/11/2013 08:32

And drs make mistakes all the time. Don't r under any illusion seein a dr will instantly mean u get treated. I wish we had a NP. Our drs are rubbish

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StayAwayFromDeliriumDive · 07/11/2013 08:33

YABU for listening to the collective advice of MN and NHS direct. An NP I perfectly capable of arranging urine tests and prescribing some trimethoprim, nitrofurantoin, cefalexin or similar - if she needs GP input she will go and get one for a second opinion.

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Famzilla · 07/11/2013 08:33

That's kind of like saying "I don't want to see a Dr because one got something wrong once".

Tbh I would be more than happy to see a NP, I'm just generalizing here but I've found their knowledge to frequently be more up to date than GP's.

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Tiredemma · 07/11/2013 08:34

The NP will only do what the GP would do anyway- if you have ?kidney infection- take a urine sample and send it off.

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Selks · 07/11/2013 08:37

Yes, I admit I have only seen a nurse practitioner once before, it was a bad experience and it has coloured my response in this instance. I'm quite relieved by your responses that I am BU actually and I'm prepared to accept that I might get a decent nurse practitioner this time.

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PositiveAttitude · 07/11/2013 08:38

NPs have more time to give you, so will hear all of your symptoms and will go consult with GP if there is any doubt about the course of treatment needed.

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Gileswithachainsaw · 07/11/2013 08:41

You have a right to a second opinion anyway so see what happens and go from there. It's also very common fir one lot of ABs to not shift it so again that's not a mistake if that
happens.

Having a NP must be a great device. All those people who wouldn't have seen a dr as a result of minor issues a nurse could deal with easily and probably do a better job

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Selks · 07/11/2013 08:44

Giles, in our GP practice NPs aren't used along side Drs though, they are used instead of.

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Lilacroses · 07/11/2013 08:44

I'd take what's on offer Op. Certainly don't allow this to drag on, you will feel dreadful. I've had alot of contact with Drs in the past 2 years (both in hospital and at the Gps)and could write a book about the mistakes they've made, misdiagnosis, paperwork lost etc. I've had nothing but great advice and care from NP. I might add I've also got a fantastic Dr now. Go and see the Np s/he will call the Dr if necessary anyway.

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Selks · 07/11/2013 08:45

Glad to hear of people's faith in NPs, it's making me feel better about it.

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Gileswithachainsaw · 07/11/2013 08:45

But if you otherwise wouldn't have seen anyone .......

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Selks · 07/11/2013 08:46

Lila, I am attending the appt with the NP.

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MiserableCowWhenUpTheDuff · 07/11/2013 08:46

I saw a nurse practitioner a couple of weeks ago for a 'sensitive issue' I was 34 weeks pregnant and my appointment ended up over running from a 10
Minute appointment into 50 minutes because she was so thorough and wanted to make sure i got the best treatment I could have whilst pregnant...

That was my 1st experience and I would now see a NP over a GP any day

HTH x

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Selks · 07/11/2013 08:47

Giles, I wouldn't have seen no one, I would have seen the Dr.

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Selks · 07/11/2013 08:47

Thanks Miserable.

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ParsingFancy · 07/11/2013 08:50

Diagnosed by a Nurse Practitioner? Nurses do diagnosis now? From cold, not just variations on pre-existing conditions?

I admit I'm not clear on what the roles used to be, but that has actually shocked me.

Is there some medical benefit to doing things like this?

Or is this using nurses as cutprice doctors and hoping no one ends up in front of them with something serious they're not qualified to recognise?

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landrover · 07/11/2013 08:59

Selks, the nurse will refer you straight to a doctor if she thinks you need to see one, dont worry about that! Alternatively she can certainly get a prescription made up for you.

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Tee2072 · 07/11/2013 09:03

An NP has more training than a nurse, Parsing. I am not sure where the line between NP and GP lies, but NPs can and do diagnoses illnesses.

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Selks · 07/11/2013 09:07

My experience with the NP before was rubbish. Went in regarding a chest infection. They clearly had a huge bee in their bonnet about anti-biotics and how they are over prescribed and gave me a big lecture about it. They refused to prescribe, telling me it was not a chest infection, and sent me away. I ended up very poorly eventually got the correct treatment from the Dr. That's why I am wary.

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Tee2072 · 07/11/2013 09:10

But GPs do the same thing all the time Selks. Read MN for 10 minutes and you'll see the threads.

All HCPs are human. Humans make mistakes.

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ParsingFancy · 07/11/2013 09:15

Apparently - but why would you want them to?

I can completely understand specialist nurses for management of longterm conditions - they'll get much better at it than a GP, as they'll see so many cases and have a better idea of day-to-day living with the condition.

But walking in cold off the street when you might have indigestion or you might have cancer.. enough GPs miss stuff like that, I can't see how reducing the years of training and other professional requirements is going to improve diagnosis.

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ubik · 07/11/2013 09:15

Nurse practitioners can write prescriptions and are very experienced. Give me one of them over some junior doc any day. They are generally fab.

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