AMA and nurse practitioners

There’s an aphorism that goes, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.” Early Christianity didn’t fear witches, because they felt their god was stronger. However, Europe being hit by plagues meant women had to leave the home and help with jobs. When the populations again grew, men wanted their power back and so charged strong, intelligent women with witchcraft — to put them “back where they belong.”

Joyce Griffin-Sobel’s column (“AMA: Don’t limit nurse practitioners,” Dec. 19) about the AMA fighting our access to health care is that rhyme. There is no reason, only misogyny, to argue about restricting access to health care. My primary care has almost always been from nurses — even when going through chemotherapy many years ago. Yes, special cases should be escalated to a physician, but nurses have always done that and will always do that.

The AMA needs to support nurse-practitioners. It’s time for them to grow up.

David Teich

Spokane Valley