The problem of comparing nurse practitioner practice with medical practice

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Medical Practice
• Philosophy of Science

Background:

• The comparison between nurse practitioners (NPs) and physicians has persisted for nearly 50 years.
• The original intent of NP roles was not physician interchangeability.
• Existing literature suggests NPs perform comparably or superiorly to physicians based on practice standards.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the ontology and epistemology of nurse practitioner and physician professions.
• To critically evaluate the philosophical underpinnings of both professions.
• To determine the logical basis for comparing NP and physician practice.

Main Methods:

• Philosophical analysis of professional ontologies.
• Epistemological comparison of knowledge acquisition and validation.
• Literature review of comparative studies on NP and physician practice.

Main Results:

• Significant divergence in the ontological and epistemological foundations of nursing and medical practice.
• The core philosophical tenets of each profession are distinct.
• The basis for direct comparison of practice standards is fundamentally flawed.

Conclusions:

• The philosophical foundations of nurse practitioners and physicians are substantially different.
• Direct comparisons of NP and physician practice are logically unsound.
• Understanding these philosophical differences is crucial for defining professional roles and scope of practice.