Nurses and physician associates (also known as physician assistants) are found in many healthcare sectors. However, their roles have changed over the years as they take on more responsibilities within the practice.
Take a look at the roles of these advanced practice providers (APPs) in the modern workplace and how they enhance primary care.
Physician vs. NP vs. PA
Doctors, nurses and physician associates: all three are medical providers, and they may even perform some of the same services. However, they differ in ways that allow each to serve a specific role in primary care.
As a refresher, here’s what to know about each:
- Physicians: To become a doctor, a person must complete four years of education, 3 to 7 years of residency and 12,000 to 16,000 hours of training.
- Nurse practitioners: NPs do not have to complete a residency, but they must finish 2 to 3 years of education and 500 to 720 hours of training. These programs are shorter than doctoral education.
- Physician associates: PAs also don’t need a residency, but they do have to finish a 2 to 2.5-year educational program. Most PAs also need about 2,000 hours of supervised clinical practice.
Although doctors have the most extensive education, NPs and PAs play vital roles in the healthcare system.
Role Expansion: What’s Changing?
As staffing shortages continue to threaten patient care, PAs and NPs are taking on expanded roles. In many ways, this is a positive change that helps ease the burden on PCPs.
First and foremost, NPs and PAs have become integral to the collaborative approach to healthcare. By taking on lower-level patients, they free up doctors for more complex concerns, helping to optimize workflow.
Here are some other responsibilities these providers can take on:
- Patient education
- Lifestyle counseling
- Pre-op and post-op visits
- Assistance with diagnosis and treatment planning
- Test and screening orders
- Chronic disease management
- Patient advocacy
- Care coordination
When part of a collaborative team, APPs contribute to safe and effective patient care.
APPs as Part of a Team-Based Approach
Some groups are pushing for NPs and PAs to operate independently from doctors. However, research shows that individuals on physician-led teams are more satisfied.
And, as part of a team, APPs receive mentorship, liability protection and collaboration on more complex cases.
Benefits of NP and PA Role Changes
Research demonstrates that PAs and NPs can provide care of similar quality to physicians in routine cases. By allowing APPs to take on more responsibility, practices may find:
- Lower rates of safety incidents
- Improved quality of care
- Enhanced management of patient volume
- Maintenance of patient satisfaction
- Reduced healthcare expenditures
- Less burnout for all health team members
Additionally, PAs and NPs are essential to health promotion. They can perform preventive assessments, encourage vaccinations and provide healthy lifestyle counseling.
It’s also important to remember that APPs are vital to rural and underserved communities, where they may be one of the only providers available. For practices with limited resources, these professionals are vital lifelines.
Things to Consider
As NPs’ and PAs’ roles continue to evolve, there are some things to keep in mind, as they can directly impact doctors and their practices.
For example, APPs are typically part of physician-led teams. That means that if a patient experiences an unfavorable outcome, it can impact supervising doctors, too.
To reduce this possibility, ensure all NPs and PAs have proper credentials and licenses, as well as references. Additionally, it’s beneficial to have a scope-of-practice outline that highlights the person’s responsibilities.
Other recommendations include:
- Creating a mentorship or onboarding program for new APPs
- Promoting open communication and collaboration across teams
- Encouraging continuing medical education (CME) for everyone
- Hiring someone with the experience or background that aligns with practice needs
For those developing clinical teams, NPs and PAs have a lot to offer both a practice and its patients.
Learn How to Enhance Your Practice With CME
Whether you’re curious about taking on new team members or want to learn more about collaborating with others, CME can help you get on top.
Stay updated on best practices, leadership skills and communication methods with our upcoming CME!