Perceived expertise |
‘I'm not running them (nurses) down or anything, they're good at their job, but the doctor is in charge and he says what's what’ (Int 4, male, age 65) |
‘…I mean a nurse takes medicine to a certain level and doctors are further … (it's) just … my confidence in them’ (Int 24, female, age 53) |
Approachability |
‘He's (the doctor), he's more likely to tell you, you know … rather than some kind of interaction between you’ (Int 31, male, age 43) |
‘I find the practice nurse more approachable than the doctor … puts your mind at rest very easily … make you feel a wee bit more comfortable. I'm not saying they're not as professional (as doctors), I don't mean that at all’ (Int 20, female, age 28) |
Nature of illness |
‘…if it was something, you know, quite serious, they (the doctor) would know’ (Int 26, female, age 21) |
‘I think, probably, that a nurse could make simple diagnoses (common colds, coughs, headaches…) as well … probably more effectively as well, you know take some of the … (pressure off the doctor)’
‘I have no objection to nurses being in charge of their patients and whatever condition I had, if the nurse was the most appropriate person for me, I would be quite happy’ (Int 12, male, age 51) |
Qualifications |
…I mean a doctor is more qualified (Int 39, male, age 72) |
‘I don't think the nurse would have the qualifications to diagnose problems … but in saying that, a practice nurse with experience could maybe know more than a doctor’ (Int 39, male, age 72) |
Respect |
‘…they just seem to have a different standing – doctors from nurses’ (Int 35, female, age 61) |
‘they (nurses) would still be seen as slightly inferior to doctors…’ (Int 15, female, age 27) |
Academic ability |
‘As I say, a doctor's got to be really clever … a nurse – I'm no’ saying that they don't need to be clever, but…’ (Int 47, female, age 53) |
‘…if a nurse has had university further training, I'm sure she could be every bit as good as a doctor (Int 24, female, age 53) |
Understanding |
‘…not all doctors and surgeons take time to be with or to understand how the patient feels about the situation that they are in’ (Int 8, male, age 44) |
‘if it's a female problem you're along with, you know, the nurse is kind of much more understanding of how you might be feeling about things’ (Int 21, female, age 48) |
Waiting time |
‘Generally, it's the time involved. When you see the doctor in particular, you're generally hanging about for a while’ (Int 31, male, age 43) |
‘I would definitely be prepared to see a nurse if it meant seeing someone more promptly’ (Int 8, male, age 44) |
Prescribing |
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‘…if it's a case of well maybe the flu then they (nurses) should be able to prescribe maybe antibiotics or inhalers for asthma, things like that, … especially when the patients repeat prescriptions, where it's something simple that they could take the load off the doctors hands by taking care of them’ (Int 11, female, age 19) |