Nursing Differs From Medicine
I want to take a moment to talk about how nursing, nursing advice, and health care education differ from diagnosing disease and practicing medicine.
In a nutshell, a nurse looks at your reaction to an illness or problem, and works to keep you well and coping with what you have going on. A nurse should not tell you that you have cervical spondylosis, that is a medical diagnosis. A nurse can talk about various neck problems and risks for issues and educate you on your neck and explain cervical spondylosis and common treatments for it without prescribing one. A nurse can explain what happens when a nerve is compressed, educate you on any medication you may be prescribed for your spondylosis, but a nurse cannot and should not make a medical diagnosis.
This may sound like splitting hairs, but it is very important. Doctors, nurses, and other health professionals have pretty specific scopes of practice. If I diagnose a medical illness, I can theoretically lose my license, face a malpractice issue, and be shunned by other health care professionals, not to mention it isn’t ethical. A doctor’s main focus is diagnosing and treating disease. That is why sometimes people feel doctors don’t care about them as much as nurses do. That is not the case, though, it has to do with our professional roles and scope of practice, as well as what we are all reimbursed for in a professional setting.
In Illinois, it is illegal to misrepresent yourself as a doctor. It is also illegal to misrepresent yourself as a nurse. If you tell a friend their problem sounds like what you had and suggest they take Motrin, no one is going to sue you. If I tell someone they have cervical spondylosis and tell them to take Motrin, because I am a licensed professional it is a different situation.
I can talk about health issues all day. I have a science degree. I can suggest educational materials for you, or even write them myself. But in the end, if you need a medical diagnosis, you need a medical doctor. If you need in-depth chemical information on your medication, you need a pharmacist. If you need health education, you may need a nurse. That’s why so many companies have telehealth lines staffed by nurses.
I’m so glad you are asking me questions, and I’ll get back to them tomorrow.
