>

But they also have years of experience and training in medicine, even more than regular nurses. To include around a thousand hours of clinical as a nurses, thousands of hours of floor time as a nurse(usually NP schools want nurses to have 1-2 years of experience in their field) plus 3-5 years of nurse practitioner school, where they work full time unpaid under another clinician. It's at least 4000-5000 hours of direct patient care before they can even prescribe anything on their own, in states that do allow independent practice.
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Lawyer here. When an expert witness testifies in a medical malpractice case, they are testifying about what the expected standard of care is in the local community. For example, a cardiologist is generally retained in medical malpractice cases against a cardiologist, and a general practitioner would be retained in a case against a general practitioner.
For this reason, an expert witness in a case against a nurse practitioner would be testifying about what the general expected standard of care is amongst nurses. What is broadly medically accurate isn't relevant. You have to show that this professional isn't providing care that meets the standard of their own profession. 
Let's say that a nurse practitioner misdiagnoses a rare disease. Certainly, a physician expert witness could testify as to what the correct diagnosis would have been. However, that physician can't testify as to whether or not your average nurse practitioner would have caught the misdiagnosis. The physician is not a nurse practitioner, has not been trained as a nurse practitioner, and does not interact with a nurse practitioner in the same way that they interact with other doctors. An expert in the field of nursing would know more about the relevant standard of care. >

Thank you for the guidance that makes since. But now in the cases of malpractice in independent practice states. A NP can bill for the same services as an MD can in some states. If they are being paid the same rate how can some NPs cannot be sued bc they dont practice medicine but nursing even though they are providing the same services as a MD? >

It's not the same services, it's just the same billing.  A nurse practitioner only has to do 500 clinical hours of learning; a physician will have done more like 10,000.  You can't really expect the nurse practitioner to know everything the physician knows, that's not a reasonable standard. >

So how can they bill the same if they are not as knowledgeable? So how is it fair to a patient to be billed the same amount if they are not seeing the most qualified individuals for their money? >

Well this is where choice comes in, clinicians have to clearly identify whether they are an MD, an NP, etc etc and patients can decide who they want to see.  If you want an MD ask for one.  It's not fair to choose to see an NP and then retroactively expect to hold the NP responsible for having learned way more than school teaches.
And it makes sense to bill the same so patients aren't put in the position of saying "I do want a doctor to see me but all I can afford is an NP".  This way they can more freely choose. >

Most ppl are not given a choice in rural practices. If an NP is practicing independently of a MD/DO they should be expected to practice at the same level of a physician. Im sure there are quality independent practice NPs but the overall data is shifted that NPs bill for more unneeded services than a physician to get a less accurate or inaccurate Dx. >

If there's not a choice and you have an NP, that means you probably would otherwise not have anyone.  Holding that NP to an MD standard would mean no care. >

so sorry that happened to you mate, hope she’s doing better now! Also did you sue the shit out of them like they deserved? >

Could you clarify what the current standard is for expert witnesses in independent practice cases?
The idea behind NPs being able to practice independently is not to compare them with doctors, but compare them the patient not receiving the care at all, given that in some places there aren't enough doctors and they may not be affordable. >

The solution is to have states incentives their rural medicine residency programs. Instead by expanding NPs there will be more medical errors due to a lack of medical education only increasing medical spending and a physician's workload somewhere else. >


Could you clarify what the current standard is for expert witnesses in independent practice cases?

or like medical malpractice cases in general? >

It was in regard to medical malpractice in general. Bc if you really think about if a nurse doesn't practice medicine they shouldnt be given a prescription pad or be able to diagnose. >

That’s the difference between a nurse and a nurse practitioner >

Nurse practitioner are still nurses.