The Role of Nurse Practitioners and Physicians Assistants in Sleep Medicine

[sophisticatedmay]

Cecile, how do you address obesity and OSA with your patients?

[DrSandmann]

Excuse me, Cecelia, but the reason you get to spend that extra time with patients is because you don't have the patient load that we physicians do. Wait until you find yourself in a position where time equals money. Then your patients will find you just as hurried as physicians are. They'll get the same rushed treatment, except they'll be getting it from someone with less than half the training of a physician.

We'll see how long that works out!

[sophisticatedmay]

@DrSandmann I'm a nurse practitioner working with a critical care pulmonologist/sleep apnea physician. Time equates money, therefore a skilled assessment that includes 20 years of experience, allows me to provide quality care to patients in a timely manner. If I can free up some time for the physician I work with, I also feel a sense of accomplishment.