The Doctor’s Out. Where’s The Nurse?
The Doctor’s Out. Where’s the Nurse?
There is a looming physician shortage. Nonphysician primary care providers, or nurse practitioners, could help fill the gap. Nurse practitioners have more advanced training than licensed vocational nurses or registered nurses, often earning a doctorate within their field before entering the workforce. This gives them the ability toward diagnose and treat ailments much like a primary care physician, say Virginia Traweek, a graduate student fellow, and John C. Goodman, President and CEO and Kellye Wright Fellow, at the National Center for Policy Analysis.
Unfortunately, nurse practitioners are severely limited within some states. Although scope of practice laws vary widely, the contrast of Oregon and Texas laws shows the problems associated with restrictive practice ideas. Under Texas law, a nurse practitioner must keep supervised by a doctor. Further:
* A physician cannot oversee more than four nurse practitioners at person time.
* The nurse practitioners must be located in 75 miles of the doctor’s office.
* The supervising doctor must randomly review 10 percent of the nurse practitioner’s patient charts each month.
Inside Oregon, by contrast, nurse practitioners with the proper credentials and license may open their practice anywhere they choose and provide the same services as a primary care physician without oversight from any other medical professionals.
These regulations have the greatest impact on the poor, especially the rural poor. This problem might be alleviated if nurse practitioners were allowed toward practice independently inside rural areas. But, under Texas law, these practices must stay located within 75 miles of a supervising physician.
A lot of physicians are concerned that the quality of care patients catch will suffer if patients are treated by less qualified personnel. However, when appropriate, some patients may prefer having the choice headed for procure treatment for minor conditions inside a more convenient setting, such as a retail clinic with evening hours, even if it is by self other than a traditional medical doctor.
Source: Virginia Traweek and John C. Goodman, “The Doctor’s Out. Where’s the Nurse?” National Center for Policy Analysis, November 10, 2011.