Across the country, nondoctor health care professionals?usually nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs)?are turning up in a range of medical settings. We see those so-called advanced practice providers most often in primary care and family medicine practices, but they also work as specialists in hospitals and retail clinics, and more. In rural areas, they may be the only health care providers who are regularly available. Their ranks are growing fast. In the past 10 years, the number of licensed NPs in the U.S. has almost doubled to 205,000. Between 2003 and today, the number of certified PAs grew from about 43,500 to more than 102,000.
In a social media landscape shaped by hashtags, algorithms, and viral posts, nurse leaders must decide: Will they let the narrative spiral, or can they adapt and join the conversation?
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