1st appt with Nurse Practioner???

jfritz317 · September 2013

Hi I'm a FTM and was in search for a OBGYN and the doctor I wanted to go to is currently not taking anymore May babies. So I found another office but my first visit is with a Nurse Practioner ... I've never heard of this? Anyone with experience??? Feedback??

flowerx2 · September 2013

My first office visit is with a nurse. I'm going in the following week to see the doctor. My first appointment is this week so I can't give you any information about it yet.

spacepotatoes · September 2013

Lots of ladies have posted about their first appt being with a NP rather than the OB. It doesn't seem unusual to me.

KaraS12 · September 2013

That's what my office does. The first appt is just a quick u/s or blood test to make sure the baby is fine from my understanding. Then at the 12 week appt you will meet with your actual doctor and be doing lots more tests and another u/s. That is my personal experience, and the experience of a few of my friends, so it sounds normal to me. However, I am a FTM, so I'm by no means an expert.

JennyCraig · September 2013

My first appointment is this Wednesday with a Nurse Practioner. They are just as capable as doctors, but I will eventually get an OB/Gyn - just don't know at what point. I'll post on Wed after my appointment and let you know how it went

Christinaruth74 · September 2013

I have my first appt today with a nurse. Totally normal.

ehowa499 · September 2013

It's not that weird. NPs are mid level practitioners, similar to Physician Assistants. Personally I am not crazy about NPs because I don't believe their education is appropriate for the independence they have in practice, but that is just me. This NP might work very closely with the OB, so that wouldn't be that big of a deal. Figure out who will be delivering your baby, what level of involvement the OB will gave with you during your pregnancy, etc. if it makes you feel more comfortable.

MrsT2008 · September 2013

normal. the initial visit at my practice is with a nurse. It's just bloodwork and family medical history.

jfritz317 · September 2013

Thank you!!!!!! My appointment is next Thursday!!!! I'm so excited!!!! I'm looking forward to hearing how your appointments go!!!

mira123 · September 2013

My health care provider is a nurse practitioner. I will see her until 30 weeks when I am referred to an ob or potentially just a family practitioner who delivers babes depending which way I go.

jfritz317 · September 2013

There are to OB's and after my first visit I will see either one because either one will deliver

bacorrea · September 2013

We are military..so my process has been different from what others have posted. However, my first appointment was with a NP it was more for "OB Registration" the NP took my family history and all of my information, gave me my due date and then I went to the lab for blood work and urine test. I also then went to radiology to schedule my first ultra sound. My first official appointment is tomorrow with my midwife. I've already had my US and other stuff done though.

jennifers1979 · September 2013

With my first child, my OB's office worked that way. I met with the NP for my first appt, and then met with the OB my second. I switched back and forth between the two until I hit 36w, at which point I just met with my OB. It worked great for me.

CMA12 · September 2013

Mine was like that. I met with the nurse at 6 weeks and did bloodwork only. She asked me a LOT of questions ranging from family medical history to how I was feeling that day to just about anything under the sun. Early stuff too like if I'd thought of a pediatrician or not yet, lol. She also gave me a journal, a pregnancy book and lots of pamphlets and told me how our hospital worked. It was pretty informative. My second appt. is this week with the doctor who sees us at 8 weeks.

Good luck!

monimu13 · September 2013

ehowa499 said:

It's not that weird. NPs are mid level practitioners, similar to Physician Assistants. Personally I am not crazy about NPs because I don't believe their education is appropriate for the independence they have in practice, but that is just me. This NP might work very closely with the OB, so that wouldn't be that big of a deal. Figure out who will be delivering your baby, what level of involvement the OB will gave with you during your pregnancy, etc. if it makes you feel more comfortable.

As a nurse practitioner (Neonatal), I'm actually quite offended by your comments. I suppose that everyone is entitled to their own opinion though.

SNOakes · September 2013

My first appointment is with a NP, same with my last pregnancy. Very normal practice

ehowa499 · September 2013

I suppose I would be offended to if someone told me I wasn't qualified for the job I was doing. I had a sibling in PA school and a roommate going through the NP program at the same time. What a joke... Made me very wary of NPs because of their lack of comprehensive education. They certainly have a very important role, but it should not be in independent practice without physician oversight.

Kath525 · September 2013

Mine is also with a NP.

sthomas1222 · September 2013

ehowa499 said:
I suppose I would be offended to if someone told me I wasn't qualified for the job I was doing. I had a sibling in PA school and a roommate going through the NP program at the same time. What a joke... Made me very wary of NPs because of their lack of comprehensive education. They certainly have a very important role, but it should not be in independent practice without physician oversight.

But they do have physician oversight. Is a physician hovering over their shoulder during each visit? No. But part of the training is knowing when they're not qualified & referring to their attending physician. Obviously the law disagrees with you otherwise they wouldn't exist in the form they do.

LDQAM516 · September 2013

Very normal...especially with super busy OB GYNO offices. First appointment is so simple and pretty basic...I see NP first appt and then it is doc rotation after that....unless OBs are super busy or pulled out of office for special circumstance.

Oatoa · September 2013

I personally prefer the NP at my office. She often has more time to ask questions then the OB. It isn't anything abnormal for them to see the early easy appt.

deanna1313 · September 2013

My first appt is on Wednesday with the nurse practitioner. I have seen her for my routine annual a couple times before and she is more thorough then some of the doctors. I will be rotated with every doctor and the practitioner throughout my pregnancy. It doesn't bother me either way. I don't think there is anything going on that a doctor should be there for that the nurse practitioner can't do.

monimu13 · September 2013

ehowa499 said:

I suppose I would be offended to if someone told me I wasn't qualified for the job I was doing. I had a sibling in PA school and a roommate going through the NP program at the same time. What a joke... Made me very wary of NPs because of their lack of comprehensive education. They certainly have a very important role, but it should not be in independent practice without physician oversight.

I found my education to be quite comprehensive. I resuscitate very, very critically ill and premature infants at deliveries, I order medications and tests and read my own Xrays...among many, many other responsibilities. NPs do have to have a collaborating physician by law, but I work with a team of NPs, physicians, PAs, and any other services that are necessary, no one hovers over me. I know of some good NP programs and some not so good NP programs. You also have to take into account the actual person going through the program.

I work in a teaching hospital where physicans who are training to be pediatricians in their residencies work. They attend these critical deliveries with me and some have been a doctor for about 5 minutes. Would you rather them take care of your baby just because they are "a doctor" and I'm a nurse practitioner?...I wouldnt.

monimu13 · September 2013

kitchencolors said:

@monimu13 well said. I'd take a good NP over a brand new resident any day! I was so glad DD was born when she was... The week before allllll the new residents started.

Definitely got to deliver before July 1st

Themetastic · September 2013

I would be more put off at the "not accepting anymore May babies" comment than anything.. and if it were me, I would be looking elsewhere.

I had a not so stellar experience using an OB for my first pregnancy and I will never do that again. Going the midwife route this time and will actually see my midwife each and every time.

cmz81985 · September 2013

I actually asked for my first appointment to be with the NP because she is the one I have been going to yearly for my GYN visits. I know she can't continue to follow my pregnancy but I have a great rapport with her and am excited to share my good news with her. I wish she was an OB but that's ok. From what I hear not much happens at the first visit any way. I'll find out tomorrow

sisterjanet · September 2013

My first visit was with a NP. She verified my medical history and kind of went over the information pamphlets and stuff she was giving me (2nd time mom so she didn't need to spell it all out this time), I did a blood and a urine test, and I'm pretty sure none of it verified my pregnancy. If I understood correctly, the pee test was to make sure I don't have some kind of infection and the blood test was to see if I was up to date on all necessary vaccines or something like that. Next Monday is my first appointment with the midwife, and I get my precious (hopefully belly) ultrasound then.

sthomas1222 · September 2013

I go the 15th to see the NP for my midwife's covering OB. As long as there are no hiccups I will never actually see an OB, only the NP to establish me as their patient & then I only see the midwife from there on out.

ehowa499 · September 2013

I totally agree with NP collaboration on a team. I also agree with NPs following POC. NPs and PAs can typically spend more time with their patients because their reimbursement is a totally different system than docs. I'm just saying that I trust the training of medical doctors (yes, even those in residency because they have had over a year in clinicals under direct supervision of Drs) over the education and training of an NP. Look at their school requirements- if I wanted to be a medical professional, NP would be the way to go because it isn't as intense and they don't expect as much out of you.

thagy2012 · September 2013

My first two appointments were with the nurse practitioner. I don't see an actual doctor until October 29th. Seems like that's very common.

monimu13 · September 2013

ehowa499 said:

I totally agree with NP collaboration on a team. I also agree with NPs following POC. NPs and PAs can typically spend more time with their patients because their reimbursement is a totally different system than docs. I'm just saying that I trust the training of medical doctors (yes, even those in residency because they have had over a year in clinicals under direct supervision of Drs) over the education and training of an NP. Look at their school requirements- if I wanted to be a medical professional, NP would be the way to go because it isn't as intense and they don't expect as much out of you.

I think we're going to have to agree to disagree on this one. Let me get this straight...you dont trust NPs and think that the whole program "was a joke", but you would choose to be one because you think its easy?

jschwind22 · September 2013

ehowa499 said:
I totally agree with NP collaboration on a team. I also agree with NPs following POC. NPs and PAs can typically spend more time with their patients because their reimbursement is a totally different system than docs. I'm just saying that I trust the training of medical doctors (yes, even those in residency because they have had over a year in clinicals under direct supervision of Drs) over the education and training of an NP. Look at their school requirements- if I wanted to be a medical professional, NP would be the way to go because it isn't as intense and they don't expect as much out of you.

You should probably just stop while you're ahead . Didn't you just say NP programs were a joke? Yet that would be what you'd choose?

monimu13 · September 2013

jschwind22 said:

I totally agree with NP collaboration on a team. I also agree with NPs following POC. NPs and PAs can typically spend more time with their patients because their reimbursement is a totally different system than docs. I'm just saying that I trust the training of medical doctors (yes, even those in residency because they have had over a year in clinicals under direct supervision of Drs) over the education and training of an NP. Look at their school requirements- if I wanted to be a medical professional, NP would be the way to go because it isn't as intense and they don't expect as much out of you.
You should probably just stop while you're ahead . Didn't you just say NP programs were a joke? Yet that would be what you'd choose?

Because its super easy!

rona118 · September 2013

The practice I go to it is their policy the NP handles all first OB appts. When I spoke to her to make the appt she was great. I don't see anything weird with handling that way at all.

ehowa499 · September 2013

Hypothetically ladies. No I wouldn't choose to be an NP because I don't agree with the way the profession is headed. But you are right, agree to disagree. Edit: don't agree with the way the profession is headed or the education they have. Just to be clear.

honey740 · September 2013

Just out of curiosity @ehowa499, what do you do for work?

ehowa499 · September 2013

I'm an OT

ehowa499 · September 2013

Sorry I always assume everyone speaks my language. I'm an occupational therapist.

rebecca1198 · September 2013

ehowa499 said:

I totally agree with NP collaboration on a team. I also agree with NPs following POC. NPs and PAs can typically spend more time with their patients because their reimbursement is a totally different system than docs. I'm just saying that I trust the training of medical doctors (yes, even those in residency because they have had over a year in clinicals under direct supervision of Drs) over the education and training of an NP. Look at their school requirements- if I wanted to be a medical professional, NP would be the way to go because it isn't as intense and they don't expect as much out of you.

honey740 · September 2013

How can you base your opinion off of one program?

jschwind22 · September 2013

ehowa499 said:
Sorry I always assume everyone speaks my language. I'm an occupational therapist.

Seems like you do a lot of assuming.

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