YP Letters: Nurse practitioners undergo years of training

IN response to Duncan Long (The Yorkshire Post, October 9) regarding advanced nurse practitioners, he seems to be unaware of the role and its position in general practice. He states that the majority of ANPs have no extended qualifications other than basic nurse training.

Actually nothing could be further from the truth!

YP Letters: Patients should accept no substitute for fully trained doctor

My wife is an ANP in general practice and, apart from her nurse training in the hospital setting for many years, she went back to university to undertake a career-based BA (Hons) degree. Like all ANPs, she went on to obtain a MSc in clinical skills.

Totally disgusted. Stop putting Advanced Nurse Practitioners down. read ers respond to YP letter

Without this qualification, you can’t be an ANP. This degree covers examination, diagnosing, prescribing and referring patients. My wife is not seen as a cheap GP but a valued member of the team with the skills to work autonomously. She has extended her skills in women’s health, again through university study, and patients are often directed to consult her, and are generally very satisfied with her advice and treatment.

I feel his words are insulting to ANPs (my wife has spent over 12 years at university) as most other ANPs have, and are proud of their roles in their teams. Mr Long should have researched the subject before criticising those who have studied hard to achieve this position.