By Dorothy Blalock
One of the primary distinguishing factors between the way that physicians approach patient care and the way that Nurse Practitioners approach patient care is quite simple: time investment. Nurse Practitioners treat the whole patient, not just the disease. NPs view their patients on physical, emotional, and mental levels. As a result, Nurse Practitioners typically give longer consultations than most doctors. By taking the extra time to talk to their patients, they learn a great deal that helps them make a difference in their patients’ lives.
NPs also offer more advice on self-care than most physicians. Many patients (as well as the patients’ families) want to discuss the details of their health, and they want to know how they can manage their illnesses or prevent future health problems. NPs generally spend more time answering all of the patients’ questions and giving detailed advice on how they can care for themselves on a daily basis.
That being said, how many patients should NPs be expected to see per hour? According to 2017 AANP National Nurse Practitioner Sample Survey, the majority (60.8%) of NPs see 3 or more patients per hour, which is slightly less than the number of patients that most physicians see per hour. But in order for Nurse Practitioners to work out of their strengths and deliver high quality care in a holistic, supportive environment, it should be expected that NPs see less patients per hour than MDs. Patients appreciate longer consultations; it helps them to feel better cared for and tends to put their anxieties at ease.