The nursing profession's coming of age: A difference in cultures

doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7532.52

BMJ 2006;332:52 (7 January), doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7532.52

Letter

The nursing profession's coming of age

A difference in cultures

The first 100% of the full text of this article appears below.

Editor—There may also be a natural self-selection processin this debate in terms of skills, etc—most people whochoose nursing are fairly good communicators and most peoplewho choose surgery like being dextrous.¹

Nurses are also arguably better than doctors at protocol drivendecision making. Doctors, however, manage risk as part of theircore training—making the diagnosis and managing it thereafter—whichnurses historically have not.

I think it is great that nurses learn more skills and maximisetheir potential with MSc degrees, diplomas, procedures, etc,but I also think we should all do what we do best. Perhaps medicaleducators need to work out a way that nurses can be fast-trackedinto becoming doctors. This would be far better than what wehave now: ambiguity and even the blurring of roles.

Ayan S Panja, general practitioner

The Greens Medical Practice, 96 Umfreville Road, London N4 1TL ayanpanja@hotmail.com

Competing interests: ASP is a general practitioner.