At the private practice where Susan VanBeuge works as a nurse practitioner, she and the practice’s physician complement each other. The physician, who often takes on a more clinical demeanor, introduces the nurse as the patient’s advocate and champion.
After consulting with the patient, the doctor will say something along the lines of, “She’s going to get everything fixed and sorted out for you.” He’s saying, she’s going to spend as much time as necessary to solve what you’re going through.
“That’s one of the things that, every time, makes me smile,” says VanBeuge, who’s also an associate professor at UNLV’s School of Nursing in addition to working as a nurse practitioner. “It makes me realize that there is a difference between what we do.”