Members of the ADVANCE for Nurse Practitioners staff, namely myself and Managing and Web Editor Jill Rollet, are in attendance at the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) conference in National Harbor, Maryland. Over 3,500 inquisitive NPs are bustling about the grandiose new Gaylord on the Potomac resort and conference center, eager to learn and connect with one another.
I attended a session this afternoon that addressed the topic of NP and PA professions working together. Mary Jo Goolsby, director of research and education for the AANP, and Greg Thomas, vice president of professional education and alliance development for the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), presented their thoughts. Both Goolsby and Thomas stressed the collegial relationship between AANP and AAPA, but both also stressed that NPs and PAs, because they practice on two distinct models of care, cannot speak with one voice. "We work very well together, and though organizations may use 'competitor' langage, that's not the case," Goolsby said.
Thomas said that the PA profession is dedicated to the concept of working as a team with physicians as leaders, and that wasn't going to change. But collaboration to a point is effective, he believes. He noted that learning from NPs' work to achieve legislative victories related to independent practice and prescribing status is beneficial to PAs, because, although PAs aren't working to change their supervision or prescriving status, they do need to educate the public on the profession, and NPs "are better at public awareness."
The topic of specialty practice arose, as well. Thomas said that PAs don't need certification in specialties to work in that capacity, and can easily switch specialties. A member of the audience commented that NPs certified in a specialty face challenges if they wish to change specialties because there are now multiple certification exams for different specialties. "Learn from us - don't do it!" said the audience member.