Survey: Most Physicians Question NPs' Care Decisions

By Mackenzie Bean 

Nearly 80 percent of physicians say they occasionally or regularly question a nurse practitioner's treatment decisions, according to the Evolving Scope of Practice Report published Nov. 29.

For the report, 750 professionally active U.S. physicians in more than 28 specialties were surveyed between June 6 and Aug. 9.

Five survey findings:

1. Fifty percent of physicians said they occasionally question an NP's treatment decisions, while 29 percent said they often do.

2. Physicians shared similar responses when asked about physician assistants. Fifty-four percent said they occasionally questioned a PA's care decisions, and 26 percent said they often do.

3. Overall, most physicians said they were satisfied with PAs and NPs' patient interactions at 74 percent and 71 percent, respectively.

4. However, 23 percent of physicians said expanding PAs' treatment abilities would be generally negative for patient care. Thirty-four percent of physicians said the same for expanding NPs' scope of practice.

5. Sixty-one percent said states should not expand PAs' scope of practice, and 69 percent said the same for NPs.

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