" 

 If one should include a section for every country in this article, the article will be very long and unwieldy - and I don't think it's ""right"" to include only ""important"" or ""big"" countries.  Eventually one could create a separate article ""nursing in different countries"".   

 I was disappointed to see that the portion on the US does not include information on NP, DNP or PhD level nursing. Nursing education and practice in the US now extends to the Doctor of Nursing Practice and the PhD in nursing which allows these trained nurses to preform as primary care providers on par with a Medical Doctor.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by     

 == Other healthcare workers == 

 The long-standing (and recently intensified) friction between nursing and the other healthcare professions is probably worthy of mention if someone can do a good lit review on it. However, I don't see any need to have what is effectively just a list of a very small number of the wider spectrum of healthcare providers with an explanation of what they do - that surely belongs in an article such as ""Healthcare Professional"" or similar. If there are no objections, I'll remove.   

 :The original intent of that paragraph, I believe, was to explain that a lot of the health care workers people assume are nurses, such as aides or techs, aren't.  In the U.S. a lot of hospitals have been adding non-nurses and even putting them in similar uniforms (usually scrubs) in what appears to be a deliberate attempt to confuse the public about how few nurses there really are in the hospital. Maybe the paragraph should be more about how nurses are part of the health care ""team"". -  

 Not sure how to really put that in a neutral format, and We don't want to put a bias on the public perceptions of intradiscipline cooperation in the healthcare fields. I'll put some thought into it...It may tie into the nursing shortage- 
 Lucas 

 ""...that appears to be a deliberate attempt to confuse the public about how few nurses there really are in the hospital..."" 
 Excellent observation. The ""cross-training"" is bred of cost-control to the detriment of patient care and to the benefit of bottom line profit.  My two-cents from Nevada...the state with the worst nursing ratios in the country. 
 Forgive my lack of formatting skills.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by     

 == Physician assistants - AHPs? == 

 How would you describe PAs then?  They are neither medics nor nurses, so surely other healthcare workers and as far as I can determine, AHP is the best place to put them.    

 :I agree, but there's a PA running amok, adding paragraphs to the NP article about PAs, etc.  PAs are exactly what the name implies, assistants to physicians.  They're not doctors.  They're not nurses.  They're allied health....workers. -  

  
 :Allied Health (at least in the USA) implies that these sevices and consults are provided under the orders of an MD, NP or PA. 
 :: Hmm, my understanding of allied health is all of the health professions that are not doctors or nurses (occasionally it is used to include nurses too). They don't nescessarily have to take orders from a doctor etc.: what about physiotherapists (known as physical therapists in the US)?   

 :I would agree, in Britain at least physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists etc etc are all autonomous practitioners that are not ""under orders"" from anyone.  PAs are not medics, just as nurses are not medics.    

 In the US, the term 'Healthcare Provider' is used to describe Nurse Practioners  (NP) (Of all types) Physicians Assistants (PA), and Medical Doctors (MD), as well as Osteopathic Doctors (DO). Nurses are is a category by thmeselves. Allied Health Providers are assumed to be Respiratory Therapists, Radiological Technichians, Lab Techs, Phamacists, Physical Therapists, and pretty much anyone else who provided direct patient care or services that doesn't have prescription authority.  
 Hope this helps clear that up.  
 By the way I was going to start a c