Advancing in My Life Is Important to Me

¶ … total I have 13 years in the nursing field. Throughout that combined time I have worked in nursing homes / assisted living facilities, home health, as well as in a hospital setting. During the time that I worked in the hospital I worked in a program called share the care. This entailed me working throughout the entire hospital as a nursing assistant, which gave me experience in various areas, i.e. The emergency room, intensive care, pediatrics, oncology and etc. By being apart of this program it has afforded me the opportunity to do what I truly love, be a part of the whole process of nursing sick patients back to health. This has always been a passion of mine.

A Nurse practitioner is a nurse who has completed a graduate nursing degree and training in providing preventive and medical health care to individuals and families in association with a physician. The nurse practitioner provides health screening, performs physical examinations, orders laboratory tests and prescribes specific medications authorized by the physician. Nurse practitioners also educate patients about staying healthy. They often take care of special populations such as the rural poor, migrant farm workers, elderly persons and children. In communities or facilities with few physicians, nurse practitioners are especially important as providers of health care. By being a nurse practitioner there is an opportunity to have more of a hand in the actual care of patients and have input with the doctors for treatment. There are also opportunities to care for patients yourself and provide basic medical needs.

On the other hand physician assistants (PAs) provide healthcare services under the supervision of physicians. PAs are formally trained to provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive healthcare services, as delegated by a physician. Working as members of the healthcare team, they take medical histories, examine and treat patients, order and interpret laboratory tests and x rays, make diagnoses, and prescribe medications. They also treat minor injuries, by suturing, splinting, and casting. PAs record progress notes, instruct and counsel patients, and order or carry out therapy. In 47 States and the District of Columbia, physician assistants may prescribe medications. PAs also may have managerial duties. Some order medical and laboratory supplies and equipment and may supervise technicians and assistants.

Physician assistants work under the supervision of a physician. However, PAs may be the principal care providers in rural or inner city clinics, where a physician is present for only 1 or 2 days each week. In such cases, the PA confers with the supervising physician and other medical professionals as needed or as required by law. PAs also may make house calls or go to hospitals and nursing care facilities to check on patients, after which they report back to the physician.

The duties of physician assistants are determined by the supervising physician and by State law.

Many PAs work in primary care specialties, such as general internal medicine, pediatrics, and family medicine. Others specialty areas include general and thoracic surgery, emergency medicine, orthopedics, and geriatrics. PAs specializing in surgery provide preoperative and postoperative care and may work as first or second assistants during major surgery.

Though there are similarities between the two, the differences are prevalent. It is so important to me to be able to have a more significant role in the treatment and care of patients.

Sometimes it is so easy to go through life not really knowing the impact that certain things have on people's lives. This was me until about five years ago. I had never really understood how the family members and loved ones of patients felt about their sick family member or friend. My father was diagnosed with cancer of the liver. As you can imagine this was extremely devastating to all of us. For a year and a half I had to sit by and watch him transform into totally different person and there was nothing that I could do. Three years ago my 37-year-old brother was diagnosed with kidney failure. His third time going to dialysis air got into his catheter causing air bubbles in his brain and spine. My brother was rushed to the hospital and placed in a hyperbolic chamber. He came out paralyzed on his left side, and thankfully I was able to nurse him back to health. I have been able to get him back to at lease 95%. I have come to a cross roads where I would like to advance and move forward, it would mean a great deal fore me to be able to help a higher volume of people. There have been many situations where I have settled. This is not one of them. I want the best possible education to be able to give the best level of care possible. I believe at Hopkins I will be able to do what I have always wanted to do. That is care for patients and helps them to get healthier and stronger and hopefully get well enough to go home to their family and/or loved ones.