LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. —
To the editor:
Thank you for the informative article (Aug. 26) on use of mid-level healthcare providers in our area. Both nurse practitioners and physician assistants are trained to provide preventive and basic care in a primary care setting. PAs are trained following the physician model, a team approach relationship with physicians. NPs are trained using the nursing model, a collaborative relationship with physicians.
Both professions require hours of classroom and clinical training. Upon completion, both professionals must complete a certification exam and maintain a license with annual continuing education requirements. In addition, PAs must take a recertification exam every six years. Once certified, PAs apply for state licensure. This process varies by state. As the chairman of the PA Advisory Council to the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure, I participate in reviewing all applications in Kentucky. Once reviewed, applications are forwarded to the KBML for its approval. If the PA is applying to practice in a specialty area, a supplemental application outlining their responsibilities and additional training is required. Original legislation allowed PAs to perform any duties within the scope of practice of their supervising physician. The physician was responsible for monitoring the PA to ensure appropriate practices. An effort to ensure patient safety resulted in this additional supplemental application being required.
PAs have a long history of working in cooperation with physicians. In the mid 1960s, to fill an identified physician shortage, a physician at Duke University selected a Navy corpsman who had returned from Vietnam and trained them using a fast-track training as used for doctors during World War II. Duke graduated its first PA class in 1967. Today, more than 79,000 PA graduates continue to provide care, many in areas where health care shortages have been identified. PAs have shown increased interest in specialty areas. Physician specialists have identified the advantages of PAs in providing care. These physicians recognize the PA will require additional training on the job to provide any specialized services. …
PAs are permitted to write prescriptions for any non-scheduled medications. Most medications required for providing preventive and basic care are included here. PAs are not permitted to prescribe scheduled medications, like narcotics.
Our training may not as extensive as the physicians, however, we work in cooperation with physicians to provide care, not replace them. We are very well trained to provide these services. … We have come to the southeastern Kentucky area to provide health care for our family, neighbors and friends, but we still have a long way to go. Any PA would be happy to discuss their training and experience. We are very proud of the important void we fill in the healthcare needs of southeastern Kentucky.
PJ Bowman
London
Letters to the Editor
PAs provide important services
- Letters to the Editor
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- Pros and Cons of Expanded Alcohol Sales
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Looking for a miracle on Broad Street
A reader sends out a plea to help save the Pennington House.
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Dogs could hurt children in subdivision
(Recently) my cat died at the animal hospital, because dogs are able to run loose in the area — three dogs, two of them without a dog tag one. The other has a tag which was stolen from around my dog’s neck and placed on the third. I called the dog pound, when I learned there is no dog tag required in Laurel County. If so, why did I have to pay for one on my dog? They said they couldn’t do anything unless I was able to catch the dogs, and then call the animal warden to come get them. I called Noah Baker, the magistrate for my area, and never received an encouraging word.
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Thank you to participants in first 5K for Justice
We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who participated in the first annual 5K Race for Justice on Oct. 9. We at the London Department of Public Advocacy and the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office are truly appreciative of all of the runners who came out, and would like to particularly honor the American veterans who ran with us that morning, showing their support for London’s Welcome Home to Vietnam Veterans. We are honored to have had the opportunity to host our race in support of that event.
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Pennington House could be a bed and breakfast
I know we are going to save the Pennington House. That’s a no-brainer!
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Churches challenged to give $100 per month to shelter
My name is Brother Johnny Jervis. I have pastured in and around Laurel County for many years. I am a former board member of the Christian Shelter for the Homeless Inc. in London, and I continue to support that ministry.
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Former resident proud of his hometown
My wife and I visited friends and relatives in your area for 10 days in early October, as we have done many times over the years. I grew up in Laurel County but left at age 18 and never lived here since. That is not necessarily by my choosing, but career choices lead me to other places. However, Laurel County has always been “home” to me.
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Trying to enforce ‘good prevails’ lessons of life
We have been living in the London area for the last three years. We noticed early on there is a problem with some in the community not following parking laws in the handicap and fire lanes.
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Vietnam memorial helped honor sacrifices made
I am writing to thank Buddy Butler and the others involved for organizing the memorial activities for our Vietnam veterans.
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Girl Scouts enjoy ‘the Hannah experience’ too
I wanted to express my delight at Tara Kaprowy’s “As bright as the sun” article in Friday’s Sentinel.
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