Your Urology Questions - Answered!

clinical topics gu interviews np student Oct 04, 2022

How much did you learn about urology in school? If your answer was “not a whole lot,” welcome. Most Nurse Practitioner programs do not cover urology concerns in great depth, which can contribute to a real lack of clarity once you start practicing.

You May Double Or Triple Your Knowledge Of Common Urology Concerns Today

Urology has a fair amount of overlap with other specialties, which can blur the lines. Does a kidney stone go to urology or nephrology? Is erectile dysfunction best managed in primary care or urology? Are recurrent urinary tract infections best suited to primary care, gynecology, or urology?

This week, we talk with Dr. Joseph Acquaye, who answers all of the questions that you submitted about urology. In this interview, we talk about:

When to refer your patient to urology, and what happens when you do
Urinary incontinence
Testosterone replacement
PSA screening – how to interpret, and when to stop screening
Imaging – should you order it before sending your patient to urology?

Not every patient that is referred to urology will be managed by urology indefinitely; in this interview, we also cover when it is appropriate for the patient to be sent back to primary care for ongoing care. The relationship between urology and primary care can be a dynamic one, and works well for the patient when both sides have a good understanding of what the other can do for the patient.

Dr. Joseph Acquaye says that his favorite part of working in urology is the wide variety of topics that he encounters on a daily basis. Whether performing a procedure, working with a couple to understand and address the impact of erectile dysfunction on them, or coming up with an approach to treat the tricky interstitial cystitis, there is always something different waiting in the urology office.