Article: "Doctor Nurse"

The Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune published a story today titled "A Doctor and a Nurse, All in One Package." The article explains the doctorate of nursing practice rather well, touting the effectivemness of NP and DNP care:

According to Delaney, there is already an 80 percent overlap between what nurse practitioners do and what primary care physicians do. The remaining 20 percent includes minor surgeries such as appendectomies or vasectomies. Nurse practitioners may also specialize in fields such as family practice, psychiatry, pediatrics, gerontology or midwifery.

Doctor nurses extend that nurse practitioner role even further with training positioning them for leadership roles in health organizations or teaching.

The article also notes that DNPs hope for pay increases and promotions. However, the use of the term "doctor nurse," not "DNP," may not sit well with NPs and DNPs.