Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
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J Am Acad Nurse Pract · Mar 2010
Comparative StudyVeterans' perceptions of care by nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and physicians: a comparison from satisfaction surveys.
To examine the differences in patient satisfaction with care provided by nurse practitioners (NPs), physician assistants (PAs), and physicians in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) system. ⋯ The VHA is the largest healthcare system and the single largest employer of NPs and PAs in the country. This study shows that a majority of the primary care clinic patients prefer to see NPs as compared with PAs and physicians. Besides clinical care, NPs focus on health promotion, disease prevention, health education, attentiveness, and counseling. Physicians and PAs should be educated on these characteristics to promote patient satisfaction and expected outcomes.