A surge of demand for care from veterans, both from the Vietnam era and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, tests Veterans Affairs as never before. Amid a shortage of physicians on the VA staff, and against a bitter and long-term debate over the roles of physicians and nurses _ specifically nurse practitioners _ a VA proposal has further sparked the argument.
The VA is the country's largest health care system, and its proposal _ still under review _ would greatly expand the practice of nurse midwives, nurse practitioners and nurse anesthetists in a variety of medical fields.
The essence of the debate was captured in a Washington Post headline in May: "To cut wait times, VA wants nurses to act like doctors. Doctors say veterans will be harmed."
To explore the issue in detail, the Orlando Sentinel solicited the views of Ralph J. Nobo Jr., M.D., of the Florida Medical Association and Austin R. Curry, the executive director of Elder Care Advocacy of Florida.
