I would like some catch up with a side of rant

alright ... now I know that when you are an NP you are a nurse first an an NP 2nd., but you have to admit that the job description of an NP is way different than that of a nurse, in fact you might even argue that the job desciption bears a greater resemblance to a physician than to an RN (except educated under a kickass school of thought, and lets face it more cost effective). 

So... if I have to endure one more conversation that goes something like... "why do you have to go all the way to the east coast for nursing school, you can do that anywhere on the west in only 18 months." I think I might just go insane. It seems like as far as the general public is concerned there is no difference, which is a problem unto itself. Though recently NPs have been gaining more ground, and lets face it, getting a bit more of the respect they deserve, I have to wonder why most of the general public is ignorant about the profesion, (especially when people are always complaining about the cost of healthcare and we offer a cheaper option) why you only hear "ask your physician" and never "ask your NP or clinician" in pharmaceutical commercials (which ... well, I suppose that is another rant for another day), and why people are constantly trying to push physicians to enter primary care instead of supporting NPs who went into the profession to do just that. 

Maybe I am just too big a conspiracy fan, but something has to be going on here. Maybe it is the physicians who feel threatened by people who can offer the same service at a better price, or maybe it is just a lack of NP activists, but somehow we need to find the source of the problem and stand up for the profession which .. fewf... i will now join! 

Don't get me wrong, I am excited to a nurse as well, because nursing is at the core of being an NP... I just think we NPs deserve a bit more publicity and respect :D