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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to want and Dr and not a Nurse when I ring for an appointment?

79 replies

M0naLisa · 08/04/2013 08:14

Rang the drs for my 18 week old.
The reception says 'is it anything a nurse can help with'
I say 'I dunno he was treated last week but he's got worse'
Reception: yes a nurse can deal with it.

What if she can't? What if he needs a dr?

Bloody ridiculous!!!

Can anyone tell me what is the difference between a dr and a nurse practitioner?

OP posts:
soapnuts · 08/04/2013 09:37

sounds like what DS2 has at the moment - yucky brochiolitis - he's 15 weeks and we just spent the weekend in hospital having nebulisers every two hours (that 3am one really wasn't fun!) and on oxygen. they didn't take his blood oxygen levels at the docs but when we got to the ward it was very low.... and i'd been considering cancelling his doc appointment!! glad DH convinced me to take him.anyhow if it is bronchiolitis it's viral so antibiotics won't do anything but it does need watching v closely in babies this small.
Hope your little one gets better soon.

JakeBullet · 08/04/2013 09:37

MOna, a nurse practitioner won't muck about if she feels your baby is unwell.....most would want a doctor to see a baby. The likelihood is that of you see her she will ask a doctor to see your baby which means you won't have to wait.

Hope your little one is soon feeling better xx

Original poster
M0naLisa · 08/04/2013 09:47

If she says he's fine etc etc and fob me off. If I had te money I'd take him to him A&E and drop DH at work at 2 then go straight to the A&E where he was born at Doncaster but I don't have the petrol money or any money till tomorrow. So may have to just go with what the nurse says and see how he goes overnight. If not better tomorrow then il take him to A&E at Donny.

OP posts:
EggwiniasRevenge · 08/04/2013 09:57

Nurse prsctitioners can be excellent. They can also be rubbish just the same as GPs just the same as any job. Our last nurse practitioner was rubbish. Our current one is ace! Our walk in is staffed mostly by nurse practioners and they are mostly ace.

You were diverted to the nurse practitioner because you didn't assert yourself on the phone. You were asked if a you were happy to see a nurse practioner. You didn't say no. You described the scenario and the receptionist 'decided' an appointment with the nurse practitioner was the route to go and you accepted the appointment.

However. You say that last week the dr kept being interrupted. You say that your nurse practitioner is good. In this case I would rather go with the NP.

You also have right to ask for a second opinion.

Lucyellensmum95 · 08/04/2013 10:05

Don't take him to A&E unless you have to, you'll wait ages if you are triaged as non-urgent. Much quicker route to see NP, i really can't see what your problem is, you have an appointment with a medical professional which is what your DS needs. I hope he improves soon

x2boys · 08/04/2013 11:06

nurse practioners are not as good as gp,s and i say this as a registered nurse yes they have done extra training to allow them to prescribe [ only certain things though] if they wnt to be as good as a gp prhaps they should do the training which takes years it takes six years of training just to become a junior dr and then many futher yrs of exams whilst working to become a gp so yes i would always prefer my kids to see a fully qualified gp than a nurse practioner

x2boys · 08/04/2013 11:17

and from personal experience a couple of yrs ago my then 4yr old had a nasty chest infection it was just beforev xmas i couldnt get him in to the drs for love nor money i kept being diverted to walkin centres and being promised he woulld be seen by a dr it was always a nurse practioner and because his symptons didnt tick their little boxes they were not allowed to prescribe antibiotics and i was assured that it was perfectly normal for a four year old child to be ill for weeks and whilst i know he would nt want food when he started refusing fluid i became very worried i was assured this was perfectly fine too [ i know its not and very dangerous] i eventually got him in to the drs he prescribed antibiotics immediatley and guess what my son got better within two days!

DoJo · 08/04/2013 11:35

It's possible that the receptionist gave you the quickest route to seeing someone qualified to at least decide whether your son needs urgent treatment in hospital or can be treated at home. Hope he's ok.

MrsHoarder · 08/04/2013 11:41

How did you get on M0na?

Original poster
M0naLisa · 08/04/2013 11:43

Well we are back.

She was fantastic (as always Blush)

She listened to his chest and immediately put him into the treatment room and put him on the Nebuliser (sp) with Ventalin. He sounded better when it finished. She has prescribed a Ventalin inhaler and a spacer. She says its Bronchilitas and he should get better soon. If he's bad at night give 1-2 puffs of Ventalin into the spacer and hold to his face (I'm asthmatic and so is DS1 so hve used before)

She said if he doesn't improve and it's out of hours call out of hours number. If I don't feel confident with not getting a call back within the time they say, I've to call an ambulance.

She said if an ambulance is called they can calm down his breathing and open his airways by placing him on the nebuliser on board.

OP posts:
Original poster
M0naLisa · 08/04/2013 11:44

We went in at 10:15 and we were in there till 10:50.

OP posts:
mrsjay · 08/04/2013 11:45

aww I hope he is better soon it is such a worry when they are so little and ill mona we go into panic mode i think,

Original poster
M0naLisa · 08/04/2013 11:45

Yes we do. Hmm

OP posts:
mrsjay · 08/04/2013 11:49

the ventalin should sort him out bless him have you calmed down now ?

SauvignonBlanche · 08/04/2013 11:51

I'm glad to hear it went well, it sounds like you got a much better service than during your Drs appointment last week.
I'm happy to say that YWBU. Smile

Original poster
M0naLisa · 08/04/2013 12:08

Yes I was being unreasonable Grin

Yes got a good service. I have to say I should know cos every time I see the NP she's good. I just worried with him being so little.

He's fast asleep and not half as chesty as he sounded. Smile

OP posts:
JakeBullet · 08/04/2013 12:09

So glad he has been seen....hoping he starts to feel better rapidly poor little mite.

Original poster
M0naLisa · 08/04/2013 12:09

And it's all my doing Hmm that's what upsets me and makes me angry Confused

That could be a whole other Aibu Smile

OP posts:
Original poster
M0naLisa · 08/04/2013 12:10

Thanks so do I as I don't fancy calling an ambulance Confused

OP posts:
Lovelygoldboots · 08/04/2013 14:02

Glad he's feeling better. If you are at all worried just go back. Ywnbu. I know how panicking it is though.

Pasflo · 08/04/2013 14:25

I think it is hilarious that some people are equating NPs to GPs. A 6 week prescribing course does not give you the same level of competence as multiple years at medical school and postgraduate training. All my medical friends would not be treated by an NP and would ask to see a doctor.

Sirzy · 08/04/2013 14:31

It may not give the same level of training but is some cases nurse practioners are generally much more useful than GPs. In my experience asthma/chest problems is one of those areas.

XBenedict · 08/04/2013 16:21

Pasflo - a 6 week prescribing course does not make you a nurse practitioner either but it might make you a nurse prescriber - quite different Smile

XBenedict · 08/04/2013 16:27

Try a 2-3 year degree, usually at masters level and you'd be a bit closer than 6 weeks Wink

ilovechips · 08/04/2013 17:08

God is this going to turn into yet another nurse bashing nurses v drs thread yawns

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