The Different Roles Between a Doctor and a Nurse
Zorida Castro
Written by Zorida Castro, BSN, RN
Whether you are in the hospital or a clinic setting, you may see someone in scrubs and wonder whether they are a doctor, a nurse, or someone else; it is not always clear when so many health professionals wear scrubs and it can be confusing to know who to go to when you have questions or concerns. This article will clarify the different roles of doctors and nurses in the hospital and clinic setting.
The overarching roles
Ultimately, doctors can diagnose and prescribe treatment while the nurses assess and communicate (2). Both can provide care within their scope of practice.
This means that the nurses will do assessments and communicate with the doctors; the doctor will listen to that feedback from the nurse, assess, and decide the course of action, and prescribe treatment that the nurse can carry out.
For example, in the hospital, your nurse takes your blood pressure and finds that it is too high. The nurse tells the doctor and the doctor may prescribe a medication that lowers blood pressure. Then the nurse can go and give you that medication and recheck your blood pressure. It is an ongoing process and can have many solutions. The healthcare team is extremely collaborative and works hard to assess each patient's needs and concerns.
Who you will see first
In both the clinic and hospital settings, the first person you will likely see is your nurse. In a clinic, like your doctor’s office, the nurse is usually the person who calls your name and brings you back to your room.
In the hospital, there are 24/7 nurses and doctors assigned to care for you. The nurse you will see more frequently and the doctors you most often see in the morning time and throughout the day.
What they wear
In most both areas, nurses and doctors both wear scrubs. Doctors may wear the additional white coat on top, but not always. In the hospital is common to see color codes for scrubs (3). For example, all nurses may wear blue while all surgical doctors wear green. Each hospital is a little different. The best way to distinguish between different professions, especially in the hospital, is to look at their name badge or ask.
What they do
In the clinic setting, a nurse will gather information from you and take some measurements. Oftentimes they will take your height, weight, and vital signs including temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, and others. They may ask you some questions relating to your visit or help you to fill out forms. Sometimes nurses in the clinic will perform tests or give vaccines; all is dependent on the needs of your visit. The nurse will communicate with your doctor before they come in to see you.
Your doctor will do their own assessment of you and may ask you some of the same questions that the nurse asked. This often is not because the nurse and doctor did not communicate, rather, the doctor would likely like to hear from you as well. The doctor can then prescribe the course of action for your treatment whether it be a medication, a follow-up visit, a scan, or a referral.
In a hospital, the nurse will have some degree of ongoing assessment of you. They will give you your prescribed medications, insert devices like IVs and catheters, they can lend an ear to hear your concerns, and do a large host of other tasks.
The doctor will communicate with you and your nurse, assess and perform tasks within their scope of practice, and then diagnose and prescribe treatment.
Overall, whether you are in a hospital or a clinic, there are many things that doctors and nurses (and so many other health professionals) collaborate on to provide you with care.
Please know every hospital and clinic may be a little different so if you have any questions don't be afraid to ask!
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Posted Aug 2, 2025
This article originated from a question I often receive in the hospital, and uses plain language to describe the different roles between a doctor and a nurse.
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