MSN-NP or PA

[ryonel]

Hello all,

I am 29 years old and would like to get things started. Let me give you a little history of my medical education/background first:

2002: I received my CNA

2004-2011: I became a Cardiopulmonary Respiratory Technician for the US Air Force

2011: I received my BS in Health Services Management

2011-present: I am working as a Health Technician at a VA Federal Hospital

I am having a hard time to choose whether to get my MSN to NP or CRNA, or to go for my PA; I do not have a BSN. I graduated with 3.15 GPA for my BS in Health Services Management, and as of right now I am retaking my science classes for prerequistes for admissions for both MSN and PA programs. As of now, I am getting A's and B's for my prerequisites, but now I am in a tug-of-war to go into nursing or PA.

Working for the VA they are willing to pay for either my BSN or MSN as long as I have tenure and will work for them for a certain amount of years after I graduate. Ultimately, going to either way, MSN-Np or PA, I will have to work at the same time; this will be one of the factors that will help sway my decision.

Also, I would like to go back into the Air Force Reserves and/or Guard as a Medical Officer, which will happen with a Nursing Degree or PA.

Any advice and foresight will help greatly.

Thanks for your help in advance!!

Ryan

[Corey Narry, MSN, RN, NP]

1. PA would be the shortest route. However, your GPA may not give you a competitive edge given that these programs are not as prevalent and the number of applicants far exceed the number of slots available. Also be aware that PA programs require full time commitment as a student which practically makes it unrealistic to work while in school.

2. NP is an option. Since you have a non-nursing Bachelors, you could apply to Direct-entry NP programs. They can also be competitive depending on the specific program. Some programs encourage students to seek employment as a bedside RN after completing the undergraduate nursing portion of the program prior to starting the formal NP training.

Another option is to enter an accelerated BSN program, obtain RN licensure, work as a nurse, then apply to traditional graduate NP programs. This is a long route but taking everything into consideration is not a bad idea. You get exposed to nursing and patient care. You establish connections with healthcare professionals. And you get to figure out which field of nursing works best for your career goals as an NP.

3. CRNA is probably the longest and hardest goal to reach given your situation. You have to get your nursing degree first, get licensed as an RN, and obtain 1-2 years of experience as a Critical Care RN. You may face difficulty finding ICU positions as a new grad. You may have to get your foot in the door at the hospital and then seek ICU transfer later on. You may face competition trying to get into a CRNA program. Not that it's not attainable but this certainly requires the most time invested and determination on your part.