ABOUT TRIFECTA MEDICAL GROUP

Nurse Practitioners are bachelor (undergraduate) prepared nurses who choose to continue to pursue higher education at a Master’s and/or Doctorate level. Many NPs enter their graduate programs after years of experience working as bedside nurses, but this is not always required. Upon completion of graduate-level work, NPs must pass a National “boards” exam to earn their Advanced Nursing Practice certification (APRN) and ability to practice. You will see nurse practitioners referred to as NPs or APRNs in Kentucky. Additionally, in Kentucky, an APRN can practice independently after having been an APRN for 4 years or more. During those first 4 years in Kentucky, the APRN is required to have a collaborative agreement with a physician.

A Nurse Practitioner who goes on to obtain his or her Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree graduates from a doctoral program focusing on the application of research to nursing or clinical practice. In addition to focusing on advanced clinical practice skills, the DNP degree often also focuses on high-level organizational skills, including leadership, practice management, healthcare administration, and even health policy. This differs from a Ph.D. in that a Ph.D. program focuses on generating new knowledge/research, but not how to apply that knowledge to patients.

Since a DNP-prepared nurse holds a terminal, research degree in nursing, they have earned the distinction of Doctor. It is important to note, in this case, “Doctor” refers to a DNP, Ph.D., or similar terminal degree and not an MD or DO degree.

Nurse Practitioners are nurses who choose to continue to pursue higher education at a Master’s and/or Doctorate level. Many NPs enter their graduate programs after years of experience working as bedside nurses, but this is not always required. Upon completion of the graduate level work, NPs must pass a National “boards” exam to earn their Advanced Nursing Practice (APRN) certification and ability to practice. Physicians enter their doctoral work through medical school after their undergraduate programs. Upon completion of medical school, physicians are awarded a doctorate degree, either as a Medical Doctor (MD) or a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) Degree. Physicians then obtain further training and education through a required residency program. Similar to NPs, physicians must also pass their “boards” after their residency to obtain licensure and the ability to legally practice. The length of education of a physician typically takes 11-15 years from undergraduate through graduate level work including the time spent in a residency program and optional specialized training in a fellowship program. The length of education of an NP typically takes 6-8+ years from undergraduate through graduate level work NOT including any time earned from experience working as a bedside nurse.

NPs and Physicians (MDs or DOs) are both medical providers capable of providing primary care to patients. However, it is important to understand the differences. What an NP/APRN is legally permitted to do varies from state to state, whereas a Physician’s scope of practice is uniform across all states. For example, in Kentucky, an NP/APRN can practice medicine independently after having worked as an APRN for at least 4 years. During those first 4 years in Kentucky, the NP is required to have a collaborative agreement with a consulting Physician. On the other hand, Physicians can practice independently immediately after completing the residency portion of their education and obtaining their license.

For more information:

https://www.aanp.org/about/all-about-nps/whats-a-nurse-practitioner

https://www.nursingprocess.org/nurse-practitioner-vs-doctor.html

I have contracts with covering providers, such as nurse practitioners and pediatricians, to cover for me in the event I am unable to be in the office.