L13 - Job Shadow

Esme Anderson, APRN/FNP

Utah Valley University

Student Health Center

   

        Questions & Answers: (Each question immediately followed by the answer.)

        Your overall impression of the career and the job shadow experience. (Was this helpful to you, why?  Do you want to pursue this career in the

1. What is the difference between a Physicians Assistant and Nurse Practitioner?
1. A PA is required to work under the direction of a MD as part of a medical team, is trained to provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive health care services, as directed by the MD they take medical histories, examine and treat patients, order and interpret laboratory tests and X rays, make diagnoses and treat minor injuries.
2. NP’s are registered nurses with a masters degree that have clinical experience and licensing, which allows them to diagnose and manage most common illness that generally does not require a MD’s attention. They can work independently and prescribe certain medications without a MD’s approval. NPs largely focus on health maintenance, disease prevention, counseling and patient education in a wide variety of settings
2. Do you think it is a good way to get into nursing by becoming an LPN first then finishing RN and further?
1. Esme was originally educated in nursing at Florence Nightingale School in London so she has worked internationally. Then in the U.S. she got her LPN and kept working at her education until she became an NP. She felt that depending on your goal starting as a LPN is a good start, however there are not as many LPN jobs in hospitals so you may have to work in a care facility for a bit.
3. What kind of facilities do you work at now and what do you like best?
1. She works at UVU, Tri-City Medical  and her own clinic, Athena Women’s Clinic. Esme likes it all. She loves working with the little kids that come into Tri-City, UVU students and patients at the woman’s clinic as they are all different and unique situations. I get the impression she just loves what she does and loves helping people.
4. What do you do at the Athena Women’s Clinic?
1. Working at the women’s clinic, Esme works with women to balance their hormones and deal with the changes women go through as they age and their bodies change. The clinic is not just a cookie cutter type of place, she works with her patients to discover what is missing and individualizes a plan for each patient to help them get back to their happy, healthy younger self. She really likes working with the women who are her patients.
5. How do you ensure that patients are not trying to come in to just get prescription medication.
1. There are signs that show when patients are trying to get meds. She keeps a careful eye on her patients in addition to careful records to keep everyone safe and out of risk. They have specific procedures to deal with situations like this.

6. What is your daily schedule and how do you manage patients and keeping up with everything.
1. Having a great team to work with is important as they all watch each others backs. She keeps 3 sections of time open to see emergency patients though the day and she and the other NP help with each others patients to keep everyone and everything running smooth.
7. What do you think of being an international nurse?
1. I want to be an international nurse and work in Ireland some time and wanted to know what she thought. She said that working overseas is quite interesting and there is a lot to be gained on both sides of the pond. The opportunity to interact with individuals in other countries and see how medicine is practiced elsewhere.

8. It really wasn’t a question: I saw 2 patients with her and she showed me what she charted, what she saw and heard during the exam so I could understand the difference of what she heard in the lungs (as both were respiratory related with this nasty air) and what you heard and saw the patient do when taking a deep breath and exhale. We discussed the symptoms and how she determines what meds to prescribe.

I just loved the time I spent with her and really felt that if I can get through the education that I would love to be a NP eventually. I was really grateful for the time and experience I got during the job shadow.