Article critique

Article Critique [Editor’s [Editor’s Address] Dear Editor, Nurse practitioners are well prepared through clinical training and advanced education to render a broad range of acute and preventive healthcare services to people of all ages. Amongst various services provided by NPs include taking health histories and rendering whole physical examinations; diagnosis as well as treatment of various common chronic and acute issues; interpreting x-rays and laboratory results; prescribing and handling medicines and other medical care; providing supportive counselling and health teaching, with a stress on avoidance of illness and maintenance of health; and in case needed they may refer patients to others. Recently the nurse practitioners have started to struggle for their right to treat patients without the supervision of any doctor by passing a bill all over the United States although many states have allowed them to do so (Back, 2013).
This would be helpful as the legislation will provide autonomy to nurse practitioners to provide services on their own without waiting or consulting to a doctor. Since nurse practitioners have ample knowledge to handle situations keeping them behind a physician limits their growth and potential to serve. According to a research conducted by Lambing et al., (2004) NPs have been found to be providing effective care to hospitalized aged patients especially those who were sicker and older. In another research, it was shown that the care provided by physician and nurse practitioner independently is comparable (Mundinger et al., 2000).
This will be helpful for the entire healthcare industry as well as will be beneficial for the whole society. So the government may conduct trials to check the technical qualifications of nurse practitioners in order to eliminate any chances of doubts in their ability. However, the bill should be passed and the nurse practitioners will be allowed to independently handle patients. This will also provide a bright arena for youth currently studying nursing and their testing procedures should be adequately regularized to ensure patients safety.
Yours sincerely,
[Writer’s Name]
References
Back, M. (2013). Nurse Practitioners Seek Right To Treat Patients on Their Own. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. Retrieved from http://online. wsj. com/news/articles/SB10001424127887323455104579013193992224008
Lambing, A. Y., Adams, D. L., Fox, D. H. and Divine, G. (2004). Nurse practitioners and physicians’ care activities and clinical outcomes with an inpatient geriatric population. J Am Acad Nurse Pract. 16(8): 343–52.
Mundinger, M. O., Kane, R. I., Lenz, E. R., Totten, A. M., Tsai, W. Y., Cleary, P. D., Friedewald, W. T., Siu, A. L. and Shelanski, M. L. (2000). Primary care outcomes in patients treated by nurse practitioners or physicians: A randomized trial. JAMA. 283: 59–68.