Education, training, and experience: The professional triad that nurses bring to the ophthalmic health care table

Abstract

As health care continues its rapid and seemingly unending helix of change, I am uncomfortably mindful that I must be ever vigilant to convince the many evaluators of health care services that ophthalmic registered nurses are a vital and unique part of the team. I continually ask myself the question: what is it about nursing that is so unique and necessary to health care, whether it is at the bedside, in the community, operating theater, or clinic? And what is it that ophthalmic nurses bring to the “table” that other providers of ophthalmic health care services don't or at least, should not? When I look again at this second question, the should not really grabs me. Ophthalmology battles optometry over scope of practice issues and takes them all the way to the courts of law in order to obtain backup. It's time for ophthalmic nurses to stand for what they believe is their rightful scope, even if we do not have the power or money to take it to our judicial system.