170: When to Refer vs When to Manage: A Primary Care Guide for NP Boards

Knowing when to refer and when to manage a patient yourself is one of the biggest clinical judgment skills you will build in primary care. It can also be a common source of confusion on NP boards, especially when referral feels like the safest answer. In this episode, Alex and I break down how to think through referral decisions using patient stability, red flags, scope of practice, and response to first-line treatment. We walk through primary care scenarios involving hypertension and diabetes to show why the same diagnosis may be managed in one situation and referred in another. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://blog.npreviews.com/when-to-refer-primary-care-np-boards Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/smnpreviewsofficial