[NPInfo] APC Position Statement

[Sue Wiers]

Very thoughtfully stated.  Thanks for the effort I am sure that this took.

Sue


>From: David Mittman <dmittman at comcast.net>
>Reply-To: NP Info <npinfo at nurse.net>
>To: ACC Listserv <acc-circle at listserve.com>, <PAForum at mc.duke.edu>,        
>NPinfo <NPinfo at nurse.net>
>Subject: [NPInfo] APC Position Statement
>Date: Wed, 24 Oct 2007 17:36:06 -0400
>
>Below is our approved position statement on the Advanced Practice Clinician
>as a JOINT name for PAs and NPs.
>Please note that we clearly indicated that we prefer the NP and PA names to
>be used to describe both professions but as people need a ³joint² name this
>is better than ³extender² or mid-level² as a description of what we do and
>who we are.
>We also had an article about the ACC published in ³NURSING SPECTRUM² which
>is read by hundreds of thousands. Should help educate RNs about NP/PA
>relations and about PAs generally as colleagues.
>Much thanks,
>Dave
>
>Advanced Practice Clinician: A Term to Describe the NP and PA Professions
>A Position Statement by the American College of Clinicians
>Adopted October 20007.
>www.amcollege.org
>
>Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners, although separate 
>professions,
>commonly have been grouped together since the inception of both 
>professions.
>As NPs and PAs are employed by the same organizations and possibly because
>they both practice clinically in the same way, many organizations have
>looked for a label to use to describe both professions. Throughout the
>history of both groups the employers, third party payors and the government
>have used various terms to group these clinicians. Generally, all of the
>terms used were frowned upon by both professions. Over the last thirty
>years, phrases such as physician extender, mid-level, non-physician 
>provider
>and others have been used to describe PAs and NPs. It seems that over the
>last decade the term ³midlevel provider² has emerged as the most commonly
>used term, especially on the West Coast, as it is presumed this term
>originated at Kaiser Permenente. To date, no name has emerged that is 
>looked
>upon favorably by either profession.
>
>The American College of Clinicians was asked by it¹s members to try to
>remedy this situation. Although we feel that both professions could and
>should be described by the use of their respective professional titles, we
>are also forced to recognize that the medical care world has always wanted
>an umbrella term to describe both professions. Many of our members felt 
>that
>the term ³midlevel² is especially troublesome as it suggests that there are
>higher and lower levels health care. This terminology is disturbing to us 
>as
>it is misleading to the public and a significant slight on many other
>professions. As nurse practitioners and physician assistants are held to 
>the
>same level of care that a physician is, the level of care we provide is
>recognized to be at the highest level. There is no ³middle² regarding our
>level or quality of care. Also troublesome is the question of who would
>constitute the lowest and highest level of healthcare provider, and who
>determines these levels?
>
>After much debate and consideration, the American College of Clinicians
>endorses the term ³Advanced Practice Clinician² (APC), as the favored term
>to describe the nurse practitioner and physician assistant professions. We
>encourage researchers, employers, educators, policy makers and others to 
>use
>this term to replace ³midlevel² and other common terms that have been
>historically used. We felt that although the ³advanced practice² term fits
>better for nurse practitioners the inclusion of clinician and the use of 
>the
>word advanced best describe the type of practice and quality of care that
>both professions strive to provide.
>
>The American College of Clinicians is a professional organization committed
>to advocating for and working towards the mutual interests of the PA and NP
>professions. We feel that by working together we can best serve our mission
>of providing the highest level of healthcare to the citizens of the United
>States.
>This position statement was adopted October 2007.
>
>_______________________________________________
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>http://lists.nurse.net/mailman/listinfo/npinfo
>*****************************

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