AANP Response to New York Times Op-Ed

Following is the response from AANP co-presidents Angela Golden and Kenneth Miller: "The concerns raised in "Nurses Are Not Doctors," by Sandeep Jauhar (Op-Ed, April 30), are unfounded. Decades of third-party research have shown that nurse practitioner outcomes are equivalent to those of physicians. The services we provide are high quality, safe and cost-effective, as evidenced by our record as providers with full practice authority in 17 states (now 18 states) and Washington, DC. Here, clinical communities no longer embroiled in this issue are devoting their full efforts to improving care and access, which should be the goal of every provider. Instead, Dr. Jauhar is manufacturing adversarial relationships between clinicians who actually treat one another with respect, professionalism and congeniality across diverse health care settings, many in which they work together every day. This collegial rapport is essential for the best possible care of patients. Nurse practitioners are committed to ensuring that these bonds endure in spite of any perception of an imagined health care turf war. Our energy is better spent helping patients."

Source: AANP E-Bulletin