A fight to let nurses practice without doctor oversight
Quick ReadSupporters say strengthening nurses' roles will reduce health care costs while still providing good medical care.
Photo credit: KEVIN P. COUGHLIN | Nurse practitioner Margaret "Peg" O'Donnell does an ear examination in her Lynbrook practice on Carol Croce of Oceanside. (June 9, 2010)
Marion Golden specializes in family practice, treating patients with a wide range of conditions -- diabetes, high blood pressure and Lyme disease. She has 1,000 patients in her care.
But she isn't a medical doctor.
Golden is a nurse practitioner with a doctorate in nursing practice. Yet under state law, she must have a physician regularly review her patients' charts and the medications...
