This is somewhat difficult to answer in text, and I am not full time in healthcare, yet. To get a better understanding, I view it as a team approach (using a hospital example. You have the physician (leader) and the staff below him, which is typically made up of NP's, PA's, and RN's. Although both work in medicine, I view it as two branches (medicine and nursing). I personally could not do nursing. Nursing involves, in my opinion, takes a unique person. It takes a more personable person. The Dr is your examine, diagnose, and write a plan of treatment person. The nurses are the ones who carry out that plan. Typically days at a time. A nurse practitioner is one of the top branches of that nursing side of the tree. It is state specific but they typically have the authority to write prescriptions, treat, etc. A physician assistant role is dependent on the specialty they are in. For example, a surgical PA will assist in surgery, do rounds at the hospital, work call, and do follow ups with patients. They can write prescriptions or order additional tests as needed. A PA in family medicine will consult a patient very similar to a Dr. In fact, you probably would not know the difference from a patient's point of view. They will prescribe necessary medication, make referrals to specialist, etc. Both PA and NP are required to work under a supervising physician. The level of autonomy each have is at the discretion of their SP. I have met surgical PA's that have the full trust of their SP to make whatever call is necessary outside of the operating room. They just had that much trust in them. I have met some that can't write a Xanax script without consulting their SP. I have learned that NP's, for whatever reason, have more autonomy and lee-way to open clinics on their own. Could be they have a larger political presence? I am not sure. I know people who went the NP route for this specific reason. Autonomy never concerned me. I love being part of a team. I don't care that I will always have a SP. Everyone has a boss in healthcare. Some are just closer to you. Didn't mean to make this post about me. KiddieDoc can answer this 10x better than me. I do want to say this to everyone out there! I have gained so much respect for nurses since I began shadowing. If any are in this thread, thank you for all you do!!! even though you guys hate PA's for some reason!!!
