As a practicing ANP/CNS and subscriber to The Nurse Practitioner, I just wanted to commend you on taking a clear stand in your January Editor's Memo.

I share your concerns for the need to continue resisting the pressure to reduce the NP role to "midlevel medicine", and the need to remove the words 'collaboration' and 'supervision' from every state practice act. I too, feel the historical physician hierarchy over NP's is a travesty against the nursing profession, and continues to undermine the dignity and respect the nursing profession deserves.

In the long run, the erosion of professional autonomy discourages highly talented people from joining the profession. I wholeheartedly support your stand on this issue, and hope other nursing leaders will have the courage to explicitly state this publicly. Maybe once we can get down to "brass tacks" we can move forward for the good of the profession, and ultimately transfer the benefits to health care consumers.

Lee Porter, MSN, ANP-C,CNS