The feeling is mutual

Brian Sick, MD, associate professor and director of the Division of General Internal Medicine at the University of Minnesota, and Jane Anderson, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, ANP-C, clinical assistant professor and director of the M Health Nurse Practitioner Clinics, consider themselves lucky to have had that kind of relationship for nearly a decade.

The two colleagues met when Anderson began clinical practice at the University and, at that time, nurse practitioners were required to partner with a collaborative physician. “I had been doing a lot of work in the community, so I already had a reputation as a practitioner, but what he did was really just very generous,” she said.

Four years later, in 2015, the APRN Scope of Practice bill was signed into law eliminating the collaborative physician requirement, however, Sick and Anderson continued to stay connected. These days, they work in the Clinics and Surgery Center, Anderson in the Nurse Practitioner Clinic and Sick in the Primary Care Center. “The first word that comes to my mind when I think about Jane is collaboration,” Sick said. “She always brings an open mind to meetings and is always happy to talk about ideas that allow our two clinics to work better together.”

In addition to supporting each other as colleagues, Anderson and Sick also collaborate as practitioners, seeing some of the same patients who visit both clinics. The experience has only increased Anderson’s appreciation for Sick’s way of working with patients and colleagues. “Brian’s reputation with patients that we share is incomparable because he sees everybody as a whole person and it shows,” she said, adding that he interacts with nurse practitioners and other professionals the same way.

“It’s clear that Brian thinks of us as equals,” Anderson said. “He sees that each type of provider brings something unique and good to patient care. And when you reach out to colleagues in a safe and respectful environment, that allows everyone to ask questions and feel confident in ways that provide patients with the best care possible.”