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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to expect to see a doctor instead of a "nurse practioner"?

40 replies

TheBlonde · 11/05/2007 21:34

Are nurse practioners the new doctors?
Twice now I've gone for hospital appts expecting to see a doctor and got a nurse instead

OP posts:
Smurfgirl · 11/05/2007 21:36

Its cos nurses are cheaper.

Smutti · 11/05/2007 21:36

I see a nurse practicioner (sp?) if the GP has no appointments - but it's not so bad, as they can prescribe, and if he's in any doubt, the GP comes in for a look anyway.

tissy · 11/05/2007 21:41

nurse practitioners are often highly experienced in their own (usually limited)field. Far better than a junior doctor who may have been in the job five minutes, and thinks he/she knows it all!

They are not cheaper salary-wise than junior doctors (as they are mostly high-grade nurses), but will be cheaper than the Consultant in charge. They usually have far more time to spend on the patient than the Consultant, too.

misdee · 11/05/2007 21:42

have always found the nurse practionors fab. its easier to get an appointment with them as well.

Kbear · 11/05/2007 21:46

I would rather see the NP than the GP. She are as good as the doctor in our practice.

Kbear · 11/05/2007 21:47

She are? She is..

lol

Radge · 11/05/2007 21:48

I'd be glad. Most doctors are wankers IME. Nurses are the real healers.

morocco · 11/05/2007 21:49

what kind of hospital appts are they? I'd be furious if I got a nurse when I took ds instead of the consultant but wouldn't mind if it was for a sore throat or something. I thought all GP's earned a hundred grand these days>> bet Nps are cheaper than that!

Piffle · 11/05/2007 21:52

I prfere them tbh

powder28 · 11/05/2007 21:54

Id rather see a nurse than a doctor like that one off Eastenders.....

docincognito · 11/05/2007 21:54

Radge- thanks for that vote of confidence

morocco-most don't earn anything like that amount

NPs are very experienced and always closely supervised by a doctor. TheBlonde- don't worry.

Radge · 11/05/2007 22:01

Don't mention it doc.

Elasticwoman · 11/05/2007 22:12

When I took dd2 to A & E with possible broken arm, we saw a nurse practitioner, but only after x ray. It's the machines that have the answers; the staff just interpret them! The NP was fine, and seeing her meant we got away quicker.

My in-laws make me laugh - they think drs are GODS with magic wands and never think they need question the evidence on which a doctor's opinion is based, nor that there may be more than one medical opinion on any given condition, nor that they as patients might have a say in their treatment.

mosschops30 · 11/05/2007 22:17

tissy is exactly right you are better off seeing a Nurse Prac who is an expert in her own field rather than some House Officer who doesnt know his arse from his elbow

worleyhurley · 11/05/2007 22:36

i think it also depends on the np, having been to see only the np at our surgery for a good few years and each time she has been wonderfull, then being put with a new one last week with ds2 i was not happy, we took him back and she had missed a big ear infection and needed antibiotics.

the np in A&E are also very good, they have to be sgned off on their uni courses and then by only by the consultant radiologists to look at the xrays, and then radiographers should be using a red dot system where if they know it is fractured they mark the images for the drs/ np to then be able to treat the patients. in my experience i have seen dr's miss fractures on xrays which the radiographers and np have seen. so guess which i prefer..

unknownrebelbang · 11/05/2007 22:36

I'd be happy to see a nurse practitioner.

Although I don't think all doctors are crap.

missuspirana · 12/05/2007 10:51

They have their place but don't be fooled, just because they have done a course that doesn't make them expert. Doctors have been to medical school for considerable length of time and are lets face it, cleverer!Nurses are there to care and that's incredibly important and I think this merging of the roles does patients a diservice.

deepinlaundry · 12/05/2007 11:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Saturn74 · 12/05/2007 11:09
Hmm
lulumama · 12/05/2007 11:15

i thought nurses did a 3 or 4 year degree...am i wrong.? of course doctors are cleverer... how odd

princessmel · 12/05/2007 11:19

We see our NP a lot. She's great. Can prescribe too. Knows all about my dc medical history. Its better seeing her than a different doctor each time.
They ask when you book the appointment if it can be dealt with by the nurse and it usually can. If she needs to get doctors advice than she calls them in. She was fantastic when my dd was ill and she admitted her to hospital.

missuspirana · 12/05/2007 11:23

cleverer so better at diagnosing things?

NutterlyUts · 12/05/2007 11:23

"normal" nurses do a 3yr degree, then its another 18months (I think) to become a NP but I believe they need to have been nursing for at least 5 years

missuspirana · 12/05/2007 11:24

cleverer so better at diagnosing things?

missuspirana · 12/05/2007 11:27

If Hewitt is in favour, then it's because they're cheaper not better. She is only interested in the bottom financial line.