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I’m Not a Nurse, I’m a Nurse Practitioner: the difference between a RN and NP (with Dr. James Simmons)

Ask Nurse Alice

I’m Not a Nurse, I’m a Nurse Practitioner: the difference between a RN and NP (with Dr. James Simmons)

December 16, 2021

I’m Not a Nurse, I’m a Nurse Practitioner: the difference between a RN and NP (with Dr. James Simmons)

As a nurse, if you heard a colleague say I’m not a nurse, I’m a nurse practitioner – would you be offended? Or are they justified in saying that to clearly identify their role and scope of practice with patients which is different from the registered nurse? 

I know, it may sound like a betrayal because you can’t be a nurse practitioner without being a nurse first but before you write them off as having a superiority complex, consider the fact that they do have advanced education, additional licensing and certifications, and a greater responsibility to directing the patient’s care as the ordering healthcare provider. 

Dr. James Simmons, an acute care nurse practitioner and hospitalist talks with Nurse Alice about the title animosity within our profession between RNs and APRNs because of title and scope. At the end of the day, we’re all responsible for the patient, just in different ways.

Read more at Nurse.org 

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