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SALT LAKE CITY — When you seek medical care, it is good to know who you are working with. But many patients get confused when it comes to understanding the differences between their caregivers and what each one is qualified to do.
The following is a list of some of the more common types of health care professionals and their individual qualifications:
- Registered nurse (RN): a nurse who took a national test to become a caregiver. He or she may have a two-year degree or a four-year degree; the instruction and test are the same.
- Bachelor's of nursing (BSN): a registered nurse who has a four-year degree. If there is a difference between an RN and BSN — and that is debatable — it is that a BSN typically has more education in leadership roles. Many nurse managers need at least a BSN to be qualified for their position.
- Nurse practitioner (NP): a registered nurse who has a graduate degree in nursing, which gives him or her a license to direct the care of a patient, prescribe medication and assist doctors in procedures. NPs can also specialize in certain areas of the health care field.
- Physician assistant (PA): a person who has a bachelor’s degree in science or a similar subject. He or she has been trained at a medical school and usually does not have a nursing license. Like an NP, a PA can direct the care of a patient, prescribe medication and assist doctors in procedures. In Utah, a PA must work under the direction of a doctor; an NP does not have to.
- Certified nurse midwife: a nurse who has an advanced degree to assist with or give direct care to women throughout pregnancy, during delivery and after the baby is born. He or she is most likely affiliated with a hospital and doctor.
- Certified midwife: a person who has taken a course and passed a test to certify he or she has knowledge to care for women throughout a pregnancy, during delivery and after the baby is born. He or she is rarely associated with a hospital or doctor.
- Medical doctor (MD): a physician who has a doctor of medicine degree and is appropriately licensed to practice medicine. This typically means the physician has gone through four years of college, four years of medical school and three years of work experience in a hospital setting. Most of the doctors in Utah are MDs.
- Doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO): The medical training for an MD and DO is virtually the same, except for the extra 300-500 hours in study of hands-on manual medicine (osteopathic manipulative medicine) a DO is required to have. DO physicians are licensed in all 50 states and have rights and responsibilities that are identical to MD physicians and surgeons. Most medical professionals work within the scope of their practice to give the best care they can to their patients. It has been my experience that if a patient is dissatisfied with the care, the reason is most likely related to personality differences rather than the training the medical professional has had or the care they give.
Suzanne Carlile, "Nurse Suzy," has been a nurse since 1982. Her main focus is critical care and nursing education. She holds a master's degree in nursing, is a Certified Emergency Nurse, and a member of NNSDO Intermountain West Chapter.
