Hey everyone,

I was wondering, what are your opinions of people who go into Nursing school not to become a [bedside] RN/LPN, but to become a CRNA/NP/PA? I hear a lot of people who go into Nursing school wanting to "skip" the bedside Nursing and go straight to CRNA/NP/PA. What is your opinion of this?

It's their business but I will say some of the CRNA/NP programs require some time in nursing - direct patient care and clinical rotations are mandated in nursing schools so in some form, at some point, bedside nursing will be done.

You gotta have at least 2 years of ICU experience to get into CRNA school.

First of all, you don't need to be a nurse in order to be a PA. That is a different tract from nursing. To be a CRNA you have to have either emergency or critical care experience so those who what to do this can't skip bedside nursing. I know some people who have gone directly from undergrad into the ARNP program. It was a hard road for them but they made it. I think it depends on the person. ARNP's don't really need to know bedside nursing, just as physicians don't. They all just need to be open minded enough to learn what they need to know.

I say good luck because CRNA school requires experience as well as many NP programs.

I personally don't care what other people's motivations are. Why is it anyone else's business? Why would anyone else spend time, effort, or energy caring about someone else's motivation for their education? Their motivations don't affect me one way or the other, and it's not my concern.

I say, "judge not."

To somebody considering it, though, I would encourage to consider what they might do if they fail to matriculate into a CRNA program because they are very competitive.

I don't have any ill thoughts about them.

I'm a bedside nurse and it's not all that great. It's not 100% horrible, but I definitely won't be doing this for 20 and 30 years. I love my back too much.

do what works best for you. People have their own reasons for doing what they do.

Why do we have these questions on here every now and then about people's motivation for going into nursing? We never discuss people's motivation for being an accountant, or an artist, why does it matter for nursing? Just sayin'

To each their own I say. Doesn't matter to me what others do. But, in my opinion, the more bedside nursing under your belt, the better you'll be at your advanced careers and the better you'll treat the nursing staff who cross your path. I've seen this with my own eyes. :)

Hey everyone,

I was wondering, what are your opinions of people who go into Nursing school not to become a [bedside] RN/LPN, but to become a CRNA/NP/PA? I hear a lot of people who go into Nursing school wanting to "skip" the bedside Nursing and go straight to CRNA/NP/PA. What is your opinion of this?

I don't have an opinion on this. Everyone has their own career goal and "reason" for entering nursing and it's their business, not mine.

Why do we have these questions on here every now and then about people's motivation for going into nursing? We never discuss people's motivation for being an accountant, or an artist, why does it matter for nursing? Just sayin'

It seems that many people still hold this image of nursing as an altruistic service mission or life's calling as opposed to a vocation/trade/profession/job/career.

That's one of many reasons, IMO, that nurses are treated the way that they are in some places.

"Here, be a good girl, and have this pretty little pin as the altruistic caregiver of the year."

"We simply have no money to offer you a raise but thank you so much for your caring and giving attitude. The patients love you. Isn't that enough?"

A picture of nurses with the nauseating caption, "Not all angels have wings." -- Barf!