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 Provided by Clinician 1
My physician boss is on vacation for two weeks...off on a Caribbean cruise. We maintain contact via e-mail, and I have physician back-up locally, in case there are questions or “issues” that require immediate collaboration.
I have been nervous, to say the least. Running the practice in his absence, being on-call for two weeks straight, and dealing with staff issues have been challenging. Nothing like hoping you don’t have to “code” a syncopal patient with a palpable BP of 60...who came in for a physical and dropped after getting his Mantoux test...but did not recover as quickly as expected.
Not that I question my abilities as an NP. I’ve practiced for nine years, and with this Internal Medicine practice for almost 17 months. I know the majority of the patients...certainly the sickest ones and their co-morbidities. I know our hospitalist coverage group, who will see our in-patients while my boss is away.
However, I like having a second pair of eyes in the office...another “ear” to bat things off of immediately. If I’m debating about something, having him in the office is comforting to me, especially since he knows all of the patients like the back of his hand. He is the type of person who can quote their diagnosis list...and probably their med list as well. As well as their psychosocial issues of the moment.
I’ve worked by myself before. The longest time he’s been away was for 9 days. And I’ve done just fine by myself. My staff is terrific and supportive.
Although I completely support those Nurse Practitioners who work independently, I am not the type who would want to work in an independent practice...or a “Minute Clinic” type of position. He said to me before leaving, “You know, I have complete confidence in you...and so do our patients.”
Yes, I know. And I will feel great once these two weeks are over, and I know that I handled all of the patient issues. It’s just this in-between time that is tough.
 Kim Spering is a family nurse practitioner who currently works at Brndjar Medical Associates, P.C., a family practice in Emmaus, PA. Her past experience includes the fields of medical/surgical ICU, open heart/trauma ICU, labor and delivery, nursing education, nursing supervision, and as a nurse practitioner in both family practice and OB/GYN settings. She currently serves as a NP preceptor for her graduate school alma mater, DeSales University, as well as for local baccalaureate programs. She is passionate about patient education and helping patients understand that they are ultimately responsible for their own health. She also firmly believes that the public needs to be educated on the value of NPs and PAs in meeting the health care needs of the next decade and beyond. In her free time, Kim enjoys family vacations with her optometrist husband, Mark, and her two sons, Matthew and Connor.
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