1. Physician (MD): The physicians are still the ones in charge- and those with the most training, as indicated by the length of their white coats, the longest of any health care professionals. MDs have 3 to 7 years of training after medical school.
2. Physician Assistant (PA) : Physician assistants can diagnose and prescribe lab tests, treatments and medications. They typically have a master's degree plus 2,000 hours of training with patients while in PA school. A PA's white coat is a little shorter than a physician's.
3. Nurse Practitioner (NP) : A Nurse practitioner has a master's degree which includes 500 to 700 hours of direct patient care during nursing school. NPs can do much of what doctors do, including diagnosis and can also prescribe medicines.
4. Medical Student: A medical student is a physician in training and wears a hip length white coat. he or she can take a medical history, but the prescribing of medicines or diagnostic tests needs approval from a supervising physician.
5. Registered Nurse (RN): Certified and licensed by the state, RNs administer medicines, provide care and otherwise manage patient care. The iconic nurse's cap all but disappeared by the 1980's, as more men become nurses and there was a switch to unisex scrubs.
6. Technician: Technicians are in charge of performing routine tests, such as drawing blood, running EKGs etc. They are usually certified by the state, and they typically wear scrubs. Many technicians have an associate degree in clinical laboratory science.
No comments:
Post a Comment