How can general medical practitioners better support nursing staff in their practices?

Safety is also one very important factor to consider as it is mandatory when taking preventative measures. Now while both doctors and nurses are in the duty of providing services, there are key differences in their education, experience, and credentials. There is a high demand for medical and nurse practitioners. As a result, they are also acting as caregivers to patients with greater regularity, especially in the rural areas and various states across America where they have full authority to practice.

Full practice is when you have the ability to work at your level of education, training, and licensure. Nurse practitioners, otherwise known as NP’s largely provide a safe, high quality and cost-effective healthcare service however the practice is restricted in some of the largest states in America. Nurses are trained at the graduate level, to evaluate patients and diagnose illnesses as well as to prescribe medicine to patients. Although the nurse practitioners are not doctoring, after rigorous training and receiving credentials, they are allowed to work within those directives.

For years doctors have been superior to nurses. Even their dress code distinguished them. Today, while their educational background, experience, and uniform still shows a distinction, their roles have also changed to become more advanced and flexible. Doctors and nurses have been compared to the brains and the hands. The doctors do the analysis of the patient, and the nurses carry out their instructions. Anything from drawing blood to fixing meals.

However, nurses often spend more time with the patients. They interact with them from one doctor to another and even through procedures. During their time together and frequent observations, a nurse may assume several of the doctor’s functions like diagnosing a patient and writing orders. In support of nurses, doctors should give nurses the go-ahead to diagnose patients in their absence or in case of emergency, especially if the nurse has a keen knowledge of the patient history.

They are bound to know how to react quickly given that they have been present for previous procedures and treatments. However, the doctor remains as the final authority when it comes to patient diagnosis. Nurses get to hear from the patients first. They deal with them on a day to day basis and therefore, they have a closer relationship with patients. Doctors can encourage nurses to assist patients who have difficulty in taking their medication, or who are insecure about being in the hospital to relax and allow treatment to be administered.

There are times when patients are not comfortable giving full details on their medical history or symptoms. In such cases, nurses can be encouraged to discuss the issue with patients in a confidential and helpful manner for full disclosure so as to get the right diagnosis and treatment. The potential of nurses is incredible, and it should be seen as an avenue to improve healthcare at facilities.