Article in Parent magazine about PAs-Read it and cringe!

I especially love the fact that we can't write scripts...

I especially love the fact that we can't write scripts...

Jengirl: Please post or pm me the issue of the Parents magazine, date of publication and title of article. This one definitely needs a response from PAFT and I will write a letter to the magazine. Paula

Definitely written by a nurse. No joke I heard the same BS as an ER Tech when the RNs were trying to tell me NP > PA (in California).

nobody cares

nobody cares

Except the parents who get this magazine free and it is given out in clinics and pediatric practices. It may sway them to never see the PA. The pediatric PAs just might care!

If an article came out in another venue, i.e. surgery, that described surgical PAs as assistants who hand the surgeon instruments and are not allowed to do anything except what orders are given them by the surgeon and must be closely supervised, then surgical PAs might care.

Why do you think nobody cares?

My wife gets parents magazine. Is that this months issue? If so I may write them and tell them how unhappy I am that they printed something so obviously wrong.

Does anyone know what issue of Parent magazine that article is from?

As an aspiring PA, I care about this. How could you NOT care?

I'm sorry but those people have it all wrong about the PA proffesion. They say if you have multiple questions ask the NP. As if we don't know how to educate a patient. I've been educating patients since I have been in rotations. And I have rotated with many NP students, and with some NP's and Im sorry to say that I never saw them educate a patient, I always saw the PA students or MD doing it. And to say that we as PA, or even NP just deal with simple patients is also wrong, im sure everyone here knows. And Im not saying I hate NP's, they are a very good practicioners, hopefully you didnt come out from some online program, or only have to do like 180 hours in the 3-4 month semester like some of the students I have seen. This just seems like either a very uninformed journalist, or a PA proffesion hater.

That is some really irresponsible journalism.

Here's the email address they give on their website where they say you can tell them how much you love Parent magazine: mailbag@parents.com

I've been trying to find the issue number via google but haven't had any luck...I'd like it if Parent magazine got a lot of letters about this.

My wife gets that mag. I'll look around and see if I can find it. Thanks for jumping on it, PAFT.

Not sure that the OP cited the correct source. I am pretty sure that the article is "Doctor, Doctor: Gimme the News" from this months "Parenting magazine."

Parenting magazine was just bought out by its biggest competitor Parents. See the following from their website;

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[TD=align: left]"We are sorry to inform you that Parenting magazine is ceasing publication of both print and digital editions. The July 2013 issue will be the last.

Rest assured, we have made arrangements to honor the remaining issues on your subscription. All current subscribers will receive Parents magazine beginning with the September 2013 issue."

http://ads.bonniercorp.com/circ/parenting/PEY_discontinued.html

[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

Sorry it took so long....the article was found in Parenting Magazine, July 2013, Issue 276, page 30

Found it. In addition to the above, Paul Rosen M.D. (Parenting Magazine advisory board member) was the one giving the info put into print.

He's obviously never taught a PA class or mentored a PA on rotations or been Faculty for a PA program or else she's all of the above and just bitter. No Doctor without those credentials can understand the intensity of PA training or understand that PA program accreditation involves representatives from most major MD/DO groups and the NPs involve none. We are part of his world, not the NPs.

Congratulations on the detective work. Quite impressive. Now lets go get 'em!!!

Sorry it took so long....the article was found in Parenting Magazine, July 2013, Issue 276, page 30

Could someone post the full article? I'm having trouble accessing it. I need to read it before I send a response from PAFT.

Two PAs responded on the Parenting magazine facebook page and I added a comment as well. I still want to read the whole article. Thanks to the two PAs who posted to FB.

I went on and found the issue, but you have to have a subscription to read it, and since it is being switched over to Parents, the site is not processing subscriptions. I don't know how else to access it. I have the print issue though.

nobody cares

Some of us do care, in Family Practice and Urgent Care we see peds on a regular basis. I'm sending a letter today, and you better believe my SP will send one himself. I cannot begin to tell you how many cases wehandle and scripts we write when parents bring their children to us because their "primary pediatrician" can't see them for another 2 weeks... Yeap, child has a fever of 102, or hasn't eaten for 3 days, or had 12 BMs a day x 2 days. Most parents won't wait, they come to us! And education???? That's what we PAs are known for. Their "regular doctor" (pediatrician) has no time, so they come to us PAs for direct education.

Some of us do care, in Family Practice and Urgent Care we see peds on a regular basis. I'm sending a letter today, and you better believe my SP will send one himself. I cannot begin to tell you how many cases wehandle and scripts we write when parents bring their children to us because their "primary pediatrician" can't see them for another 2 weeks... Yeap, child has a fever of 102, or hasn't eaten for 3 days, or had 12 BMs a day x 2 days. Most parents won't wait, they come to us! And education???? That's what we PAs are known for. Their "regular doctor" (pediatrician) has no time, so they come to us PAs for direct education.

Don't feed the troll...

The writers and editors of that article should be embarrassed, both publicly and privately. People read those magazines and really take that advice to heart when caring for their kids. For shame.

Could some one post the entire article so myself and others can read it completely and respond to the authors and magazine?

Could some one post the entire article so myself and others can read it completely and respond to the authors and magazine?

I'd like to read the whole article too. It is not accessed without a subscription. Someone obviously read it. Take snapshots of it with your smart phone and post it, please. Original Poster can you do this?

Got this in the email today:

AAPA responding to incorrect Parenting article

AAPA

The July 2013 edition of Parenting magazine features a story that incorrectly describes the PA profession. The article says that PAs cannot prescribe medications, which is untrue. AAPA is responding to the magazine writers and editors to educate them on the PA profession — and you can help! Use the Contact Us form to reach Parenting staff and tell them about how PAs provide team-based, patient-focused healthcare.

http://www.parenting.com/contact-us

I'll be writing and I hope the magazine responds or even better, writes a correction, but I'm not holding my breath. Maybe someone can convince them to write an article about PA's to make up for the mistake...one can dream.