Clinicians choose distinctive approaches to OC management
Contraceptive Technology Update 8(9): 118-120
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0274-726X PMID: 12268913 Document Number: 355772
A survey of comparing management styles regarding oral contraceptives of 294 nurse practitioners, 152 physicians, 24 nurse midwives and 25 physician's assistants is reported. The 1st choice of pill was ON7/7/7 among 64% of nurse practitioners, 60% of physician's assistants, 57% of physicians, and 47% of nurse midwives. Triphasic pills were preferred by 70% of nurse practitioners, 70% of physicians, 62% of nurse midwives and 60% of physician's assistants. Next choices were ON 1/35 or Norinyl 135 (Syntex). In answer to the question whether to prescribe pills to daughters of mothers who took diethylstilbestrol, all physician's assistants and 95% of physicians would, but only 80 and 53% of nurse practitioners and nurse midwives would do so, preferring to refer the patient to a physician, who would prescribe pills. The results followed a similar trend in answer to the question of giving pills to a very young sexually active teen: 83% of physicians, 72% of physician's assistants, 65% of nurse practitioners and 64% of nurse midwives would give out pills. The most common age ceiling for oral contraceptive prescription was 40 years; physicians more often would make exceptions and prescribe to women over 50, while the other clinicians spread their answers broadly over ages 35, 40, 45 and 50.