Tag: nurse practitioners

89% of Patients Consult “Dr. Google” First

Dr. Google is in. 89% of patients queue up Google and search for their symptoms before going to see a medical provider. But this isn’t exactly a good thing.

No matter what symptoms you Google, it seems as though the search engine ends up painting a bleak picture, returning worst-case-scenarios like that you are having a heart attack, or that you have cancer, or any number of complex diseases or conditions. Or maybe even worse, it downplays more serious conditions. Yet, for some reason, 89% of patients queue up Google and search for their symptoms before going to see a medical provider.

The reason? According to a recent survey conducted by eligibility.com, where the staggering number came from, it is because patients wanted to see just how serious their symptoms were before seeking a professional diagnosis and treatment.

This practice comes with its own problems, of course, since Dr. Google is not an actual doctor and neither are the people who are Googling their symptoms. For instance, Googling “nasal congestion,” which is the most popular symptom Googled in Texas, Georgia, and Florida, returns the following possibly related, mildly problematic health conditions: seasonal allergies, common cold, sinusitis, upper respiratory infection, and animal allergy. However, it can also be a symptom of something more serious that should not go ignored, such as thyroid disorders, the flu, or even pregnancy, and Google has absolutely no way of saying for certain. Meanwhile, on the other side of it, patients who Google their symptoms can be susceptible to “cyberchondria,” a sort of adjunct hypochondria, in which they experience unreasonably high anxiety regarding common symptoms due to their search behavior.

While Google may be a useful tool for a lot of things, one thing is for certain: it is no replacement for a living, breathing medical professional. And even Google will tell you that.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

How Much PAs and NPs Make in Every State

How much do PAs and NPs make across the U.S.? We found out. How does your salary stack up against the average?

Using the latest data available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, we dug up the average salaries for PAs and NPs across the United States.

Some quick takeaways from the findings are:

  • NPs earn the most, on average, in California, Alaska, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York.
  • PAs see top pay, on average, in Connecticut, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii, and California.
  • On average, the least lucrative states for NPs are Alabama, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Kansas, and Kentucky.
  • For PAs, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama pay the least, on average.
  • PAs are paid more than NPs in the majority of the country, including 25 states, as well as the District of Columbia, though NP salaries outpace PA salaries in terms of dollar amount, as a whole.

How does your salary stack up against the average? Find out below.

State Physician Assistant
Average Annual Salary:		 Nurse Practitioner
Average Annual Salary:
Alabama $92,880 $95,970
Alaska $122,260 $122,880
Arizona $101,590 $110,750
Arkansas $99,280 $104,300
California $117,230 $133,780
Colorado $102,770 $111,210
Connecticut $125,610 $118,020
Delaware $105,300 $108,340
District of Columbia $114,740 $109,800
Florida $105,930 $101,100
Georgia $103,190 $106,750
Hawaii $121,120 $120,570
Idaho $109,090 $102,600
Illinois $108,260 $105,800
Indiana $96,090 $103,200
Iowa $110,550 $106,290
Kansas $104,720 $99,430
Kentucky $91,010 $99,790
Louisiana $85,990 $105,340
Maine $110,030 $103,220
Maryland $108,180 $115,060
Massachusetts $108,700 $122,740
Michigan $110,240 $106,880
Minnesota $116,200 $119,160
Mississippi $81,130 $109,700
Missouri $94,480 $102,470
Montana $106,130 $103,510
Nebraska $106,700 $103,800
Nevada $116,850 $112,540
New Hampshire $111,080 $109,460
New Jersey $116,270 $122,100
New Mexico $108,610 $109,810
New York $117,000 $120,970
North Carolina $104,680 $104,100
North Dakota $107,340 $106,200
Ohio $105,410 $101,970
Oklahoma $104,200 $103,280
Oregon $113,570 $110,010
Pennsylvania $98,510 $98,250
Rhode Island $103,710 $109,290
South Carolina $103,710 $99,910
South Dakota $102,830 $100,690
Tennessee $87,700 $95,990
Texas $109,590 $111,060
Utah $102,710 $105,840
Vermont $106,520 $106,000
Virginia $99,340 $105,170
Washington $123,980 $117,650
West Virginia $104,180 $100,690
Wisconsin $107,920 $106,790
Wyoming $116,890 $116,030

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

NP Role Expansion Bill Passes Pennsylvania Senate

Nurse Practitioners saw another victory in their quest for full practice authority on Wednesday in the Pennsylvania Senate.

Nurse Practitioners saw another victory in their quest for full practice authority on Wednesday in the Pennsylvania Senate, when they voted by a margin of 44 to 6 to advance legislation to allow certified NPs to practice independently of physicians.

Senate Bill 25, sponsored by Senator Camera Bartolotta, aims to amend the Professional Nursing Law, and will allow certified NPs to practice independent of a physician after they fulfill a three-year, 3,600-hour collaboration agreement with a physician. The law as it currently stands requires NPs to practice under a collaboration agreement at all times.

Similar legislation was approved by Pennsylvania’s Senate in April of 2017; however, the bill did not receive a vote in Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives. The bill will now be moved to the House for a vote.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Maine Law Allows PAs, NPs, Midwives to Perform Abortions

When the bill goes into effect next June, Maine will be the eighth state to permit advanced practitioners to provide abortion services.

With the signing of a bill by Governor Janet Mills this week, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and certified nurse-midwives gained the ability to provide abortion medication and perform in-clinic abortions in the state of Maine. The bill, which was introduced into legislation by the Governor herself, aims to expand access to reproductive health care for women across Maine, particularly for those located in rural areas.

“Allowing qualified and licensed medical professionals to perform abortions will ensure that Maine women, especially those in rural areas, are able to access critical reproductive health care services when and where they need them from qualified providers they know and trust. These health care professionals are trained in family planning, counseling, and abortion procedures, the overwhelming majority of which are completed without complications,” Governor Mills said in a statement released on Monday. “Maine is defending the rights of women and taking a step toward equalizing access to care as other states are seeking to undermine, rollback, or outright eliminate these services.”

When the bill goes into effect next June, Maine will be the eighth state—joining New Hampshire, Vermont, Alaska, California, Colorado, New York and Oregon—to permit advanced practitioners to provide abortion services.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

VA Study Supports Advanced Practitioner Led Care

A new study has found no clinically important differences in patient outcomes, regardless of whether their provider is a physician, PA, or NP.

A study conducted by a Durham VA Health Care System has found that Veterans Affairs patients with diabetes have similar health outcomes, regardless of whether their care provider is a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant.

Researchers examined the outcomes of more than 600,000 veterans with diabetes, a patient type that represents a large population within the VA, and who often have complex healthcare needs. Of the patients whose outcomes were studied, physicians were the usual provider for 77% of them, with the remaining patients under the care of a PA or NP. The researchers did not find any statistically significant differences in quality of care, nor any clinically important differences in patient outcomes, based on the discipline of the provider.

“Our study found that there were not clinically important differences in intermediate diabetes outcomes for patients with physicians, NPs, or PAs in both the usual and supplemental provider roles, providing additional evidence for the role of NPs and PAs as primary care providers,” said Dr. George Jackson, a research health scientist with the Center of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT) at the Durham VA Medical Center and author of the study.

A news release from the VA regarding the study goes on to state, “The fact that PAs and NPs had similar results for quality of care without sharing care with a physician suggests that using these providers in primary care may improve the efficiency of health care.”

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Chipotle Offers Buy-One-Get-One Free Deal for Nurses

Free food alert! Chipotle locations across the U.S. and Canada will be offering a buy-one-get-one free deal for all nurses (including RNs, NPs, CNAs, and more) tomorrow, June 4th.

Chipotle Mexican Grill is offering a special buy-one-get-one free deal for nurses across the U.S. and Canada on Tuesday, June 4, 2019.

All professional nurses who hold an RN, NP, CRNA, CNS, CNM, LVN, or CNA designation, or local equivalents, who present valid identification, such as their nursing license or hospital or medical office ID, can receive a free burrito, burrito bowl, salad, or order of tacos with the purchase of an entrée of equal or greater value. The promotion is valid at all Chipotle locations in the U.S. and Canada from open to close that day.

“We know that nurses are some of the most hardworking individuals and Chipotle wants to do its part to recognize these dedicated professionals who are helping to cultivate a better world,” said Laurie Schalow, Chief Corporate Reputation Officer at Chipotle, in a press release issued by the company. “We’re inviting all nurses to come into Chipotle to show us their IDs to redeem our token of appreciation.”

To find a Chipotle location near you, please visit chipotle.com.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Critical Shortage of Pediatric NPs Looms

With the physician shortage in full swing and not enough PNPs joining the workforce, there is a growing hole in who will care for this nation’s children, with few answers in sight.

There is a serious need for pediatric Nurse Practitioners (PNPs), according to a new white paper published in the Journal of Pediatric Health Care’s most recent issue.

The authors, including Kristin Hittle Gigli, Ph.D., R.N., CPNP-AC, CCRN, of the University of Pittsburgh, and colleagues, report that “despite the specific demand for pediatric care, there is a forecasted critical shortage of PNPs over the next decade.”

This is partly because the amount of PNPs in practice has not grown as rapidly as other disciplines across the NP profession, while physician shortages continue to be problematic. While advanced practitioners are widely believed to be able to close the gap in access to care resulting from the physician shortage, it is estimated that only 8% of the 270,000 licensed NPs in the U.S. are PNPs, while two out of three new NPs entering the workforce reported graduating from family NP (FNP) programs. Although FNPs can care for children, most report their total children account for less than 25% of their total patient population. This leaves a growing hole in who will care for the children of this nation, with few answers in sight.

“Dedicated research into the PNP role, workforce, and care outcomes will address gaps in our knowledge of the role and support the advancement of the profession,” the white paper states. As well as, “when considering possible shortages of PNPs, evaluation of the workforce pipeline and graduate nursing education programs becomes an important factor in mitigating potential shortages,” and goes on to say, “Attention should be focused on updating and expanding knowledge of the state of the PNP workforce to identify areas in practice and policy where interventions will support maximizing the contributions of these providers to high-quality, accessible, and affordable pediatric health care.”

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Barton Associates’ Locum Hero: Whitney Holmes, CNP

Earlier this year, Barton Associates announced the Locum Heroes campaign, with a focus on giving back to locum tenens providers who make a difference in their communities, near and far. In response, we received more than 100 nominations, each describing incredible stories of the ways that locum providers have spent their time on and between assignments. 

Whitney Holmes has been doing full-time locum work in underserved, low income, and refugee clinics since 2015, and dedicates her free time to medical mission efforts locally and internationally. As a Barton Associates Locum Hero, Ms. Holmes will receive a personal award of $2,500 and a donation of $2,500 will be given in her name to Ohio-based, Living Word Church’s food truck ministry.

Read Her Story

Report: PAs/NPs Provide Similar or Better Care than Doctors

A new report from a World Health Organization team indicates that non-physicians, such as PAs and NPs, provide comparable care to that of physicians.

Nurse practitioners, physician assistants, midwives, and other non-physicians deliver care that is comparable to or better than that provided by MDs, and are often more well-liked than physicians, according to a new report from a World Health Organization team.

It was noted in the WHO bulletin that they are especially effective in delivering babies, caring for AIDS patients, and helping people care for chronic diseases, like diabetes and high blood pressure.

“While some physician groups have resisted wider use of such professionals, they should embrace them because they are often less expensive to deploy and are far more willing to work in rural areas,” the WHO experts are quoted as saying.

Read More →

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

The Public Is Clearly Confused about PAs and NPs

As the primary care physician shortage looms, and PAs and NPs are constantly called “the answer,” it seems patients are unaware of what they can even do.

Advanced practitioners, particularly PAs and NPs, are often cited as the answer to the looming primary care physician shortage—an estimated deficiency of 49,300 primary care physicians in the U.S. by 2030, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. However, it appears there is a large amount of public confusion when it comes to the roles of PAs and NPs in primary care, according to a new study, which is to be published next month in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

For the study, members of the U.S. public in all 50 states were surveyed between November 2017 and January 2018. Participants were asked questions regarding their knowledge of the abilities of physicians, PAs, and NPs to prescribe medications, diagnose illnesses, and order lab tests.

Of the 3,948 respondents, an undisputable majority knew physicians were able to prescribe medications, diagnose illnesses, and order lab tests. However, they were much less well-informed when it came to PAs and NPs. About half were unaware that PAs could prescribe and diagnose, and nearly a third did not know NPs could, and while a higher percentage were aware that PAs and NPs could order lab tests (66% for PAs, 74% for NPs), it was nowhere near the 97% who were aware of physicians’ ability to do the same.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.