[NPInfo] what they don't know-the word "nurse" shhhh

[Carla Anderson]

OK,
  I have to say this, my web hoster was educating me on "key words", and how important they are in websites. He does not have any sort of medical background, so he is the typical example of our target audience or consumer that watches commercials, reads articles, gains perspectives, warped or not, about healthcare, and doctors and nurses. He said very succinctly that regarding health care, the most frequent key words that are googled are: health, health care, family doctor, clinic, health clinic. He said the word "practitioner" is almost never used or referenced, or looked up, and this is his quote not mine, he said: "not to bring you down, but when you google the word "nurse"  the two main things that are focused on are: jobs and sex. -hope I could quote that on the list and be ok. He showed me a string of phrases with the word nurse attached, and some were not pretty. As we all know, we like humor, and we like jokes, but this is about perception. 
   
  In addition, I had Thanksgiving with a family very involved in the town I live in. The daughter who was about my age was astounded that I could have my own practice. (This is in a state where NPs have had independence for 30 yrs).  She has lived here all of those years. She said she always thought when you go to a clinic, you may see "a nurse" , (who may be a nurse practitioner-but no one may know).. but if you are "really sick", you see the "real doctor".  Again, another quote from our consumers/patients.  I educated her, and she said "oh, so its a marketing issue..." Carla/Oregon

Sue Emmite <sue.emmite at gmail.com> wrote:
  I believe the title NP should be standardized over the entire USA. Anyone
have any ideas about how we would go about that? I am drowning in letters
after my name which only serve to confuse the patients and families.
Physicians don't have a string of titles behind their name. Pretty soon we
will either have to wear a huge name tag or shorten the credentials required
by all of the state boards of nursing.

Sue Emmite

On Nov 28, 2007 7:26 PM, suernfnp at iwon.com wrote:

>
> There are many medical assistants with several years of medical office
> experience that think they have the same knowledge as a RN, and give advice
> to patients with this belief. The "don't know what they don't know."
>
> In the same way, nurses with experience outside the bedside think they
> have as much knowledge as a NP. They believe their additional experience
> outside the realm of staff nursing gives them the knowledge they need to be
> APNs. Again they "don't know what they don't know."
>
> I have a friend who earned her MSN with me, but did not want to complete
> the post-master's NP program. At that time (1999)it was possible to short
> cut this and be grandfathered in by taking the NP exam based on your MSN and
> additional nursing experience (she practices in cardiology). She failed the
> exam twice, then the grandfather time period ran out. She found out the hard
> way what she did not know.
>
> She is still practicing as a cardiology APN (this is what her badge and
> lab coat say) at my hospital, at the same or higher salary than I make.
> However, I can and do practice in other facilities, where she would have a
> hard time finding a similar position outside of our hospital.
>
> I believe we should stick to the title nurse practitioner and avoid use of
> the term advanced practice nurse. The title nurse practitioner has a legal
> and professional definition, while any RN who wants to can call themselves
> an advanced practice nurse and put it on their badge and lab coat to
> legitimize their role. Who is there to stop them?
>
> Do I think the DNP will legitimize our role? I've looked at the program at
> my alma mater, and one of my friends is currently enrolled. The courses are
> called "Health Care Informatics", "Leadership and Collaboration", "Advanced
> Nursing Theory", "Advanced Research Methods", and "Health Systems Policy and
> Regulation." In no way will it change how I am practicing today. It would
> not earn me a dime more in salary at my current position. I would be forever
> explaining what the initials stand for, much as I need to explain what APRN
> stands for on the business cards the hospital printed for me. I would much
> prefer to earn a PhD as a terminal degree, as this degree is recognized
> everywhere. If only I had the time and money! Maybe someday.
>
> Sue D in MI
>
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Carla R. Anderson, FNP-C
  Healing Presence Family Practice, PC  
  carla_rayne at yahoo.com
  503 819 9726