My friend Maria is in nursing school right now. Of my hometown circle of friends she's the only one going into health care. She also plans on eventually going on to become an NP. This is a dangerous situation because Maria is a very aggressive in your face person. I get along well with her, but you don't want to get on her bad side.
My other friend one time unknowingly started a small NP vs. PA battle. He had jokingly said something to me about coming to me when he needs the "good stuff." Maria then looked at me with a confused face and said, "But aren't you going to PA school? How will you get him the 'good stuff." She had no idea that PA could prescribe medication. I don't think she has any idea what the role of a PA is. I'm fairly sure the only PA she's ever seen on rotations was a surgical one and she admitted that they were doing hardcore work with the surgeon. But I still don't think she realize PAs see their own patients in most medical specialities.
Tonight I was playing a drinking game against her and at one point called her "Nurse Maria." She immediately got offended and said, "Whatever. I'm going to be making more money than you." I was taken aback. Not because she was so delusional about that comment, but that she thought I was trying to be offensive. I think nursing is a very respectable field. I don't compare it to being a physician or a PA because they're not the same. Nursing does their thing, and Medicine does theirs.
I try to avoid this whole NP/PA battle as much as possible. I don't judge people's performance at work based off their title. I base it off their actions. If they're a competent provider then I respect them and their opinion. I don't care if that comes from nursing, PA or medical school. Medicine is not this big secret where only med students get taught the magic words.
1 comment:
Interesting, and somewhat humerous at the same time. Hopefully that chip on her shoulder gets smoothed out. Good luck in school, its the hardest thing you will ever do!
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