Week 9-1 Discussion Post 15 Document

“AProfessioncomprisesofagroupofpeoplewhohavespecial

knowledgeandskillsinawidelyrecognizedbodyoflearningderived

fromresearch,educationandtrainingatahighlevelandareguided

byacodeofethics,andwhoarepreparedtoapplythisknowledge

andexercisetheseskillsintheinterestofothers”(AustralianCouncil

ofProfessions,2003).Deprofessionalizationhappenswhenthereisa

changeintheskillsorqualitiesthatareuniqueorspecifictothat

profession.

IntheUnitedStatesthereisashortageofhealthcareproviders,

andwhichhasledtonewrolesforalliedhealthproviders.Nurse

PractitionersandPhysicianassistant(PAs)rolesweredesigned

initiallytoworkalongsidephysicianstocomplementthecare

provided,butwiththeshortageofPhysicianstheseprofessionalsare

givenmoreautonomyand,inmanystates,allowedtopractice

independently.Moreandmorecomplicatedpatientsareassignedto

NursepractitionersandPAsandareallowedtodoprocedureswhich

inthepastwouldonlybedonebyaPhysicianwithextensive

training.Moreandmorenonphysicianprovidersareprovidingcare

beyondtheirexperienceandtraining.Weareseeinga

deprofessionalizationofPhysiciansbyinsurancecompanies,health

careindustryandcorporateentitiesthatwouldliketocutdown

costsbyhiringmoreNpsandPAsthanPhysicians(Balon&Morreale,

2022).

Thereareothermedicalprofessionsalsothatfaceshortageof

qualifiedhealthcareprovidersandmighthavetorelyonless

qualifiedprofessionalstodeliverhealthcareserviceslikeshortageof

RNsandmedicalsocialworkersandmayhavetousemoreLPNs

(licensedpracticalnurses)andinsteadofgraduatesocialworkers,

mayhavetorelyonundergraduatestodeliverservices.

Despitedeprofessionalizationofhealthcare,theoriginalprofession

stillhasitsdignityandvalue.Butthereisaconcernifqualitywillbe

compromisedinthefutureforprofitandcostconcerns.



References



AustralianCouncilofProfessions.(2003).Whatisaprofession?

Retrievedfromhttps://www.professions.org.au/what-is-a-

professional





Balon,R.,&Morreala,M.K.(2022).DemiseofaPhysician.Annals of

Clinical Psychiatry. 34(1),1-3.Retrievedfrom

https://www.aacp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/0222-ACP-

Editorial.pdf