Doctors and Nurses Over the Decades, Both

¶ … Doctors and Nurses

Over the decades, both doctors and nurses have been playing an important role in determining the kind of health care services that are provided to patients. This is because the basic model in meeting these demands has been continually changing. To deal with these issues health care providers have been integrating many of their duties together. As a result, there has been a shift in responsibilities between them. To determine how this is taking place requires comparing and contrasting them from each other. Once this occurs, is when we will have a greater appreciation of the role that doctors and nurses are playing in a modern health care environment.

The Function of Doctors

There are two kinds of doctors inside the health care system these include: general practitioners and specialists. A general practitioner is someone who will work inside clinics, hospitals and other medical facilities. In general, these kinds of physicians are focused on treating some of the most common ailments. While a specialist, is someone who is focused on treating the more serious health problems. In most cases, patients will be able to see specialists once they have been referred to them by their primary care doctors (who are general practitioners). Moreover, both kinds of physicians can be able to prescribe medication to patients, they have a medical degree and will work with an individual to identify the root causes of the problem. As a result, doctors will spend their time trying to diagnose and pin point the causes of the problem. This is important, because it is showing how doctors will play a major role inside a health care environment. (Chen, 2008) (Kennedy, 2011)

The Role of Nurses

The responsibility of nurses is to assist doctors with their patients by: providing medication, monitoring their signs, updating their charts and alerting the physician about changes in the patients underlying condition. However, nurses can also be able to specialize in certain areas such as: pediatrics, surgery, administration or intensive care. At the same time, nurses are helping to support patients by teaching them how they can improve their underlying levels of health through specific activities and techniques. The education levels for this profession are for everyone to have completed a two, three or four-year degree program. This is important, because it is showing how nurses will play an increasingly vital role in supporting the needs of patients and physicians they are working with. (Chen, 2008) (Kennedy, 2011)

When you compare these roles with each other, it is clear that doctors will take the lead when working with patients. As they are identifying the underlying causes of their ailments and they are diagnosing the problem. This is similar to what nurses are doing by supporting the diagnosis and treatment options of physicians. As the two are playing an important part in determining the kinds of services that patients are receiving. (Chen, 2008) (Kennedy, 2011)