[JockoJohnson]

Hello,

I have been working in a CVICU for the past year as my first nursing job out of school, and have decided not to pursue CRNA, and want to focus on becoming a RNFA. I just had a few questions, and bear with me, I just finished a 12 hour night shift. Would it be beneficial to get an NP license along with my RNFA? Are you any more marketable that way? What about becoming a Surgical PA? Is there much of a pay difference between an RNFA and a Surgical PA, and how are the job duties different? Any info would be appreciated! Just looking for the best route to go with my current situation.

[jer_sd]

As a RNFA you will have limited ability to bill insurance companies no Medicare ect. If you are a RNFA you will basically just retract, suction, stich. If you have NP/RNFA you can bill medicare and more companies, provide preoperative and post operative care. I completed my RNFA, then followed up with NP. It is a good skill set to have. One hospital I have clinical privliges at credentials RNFAs the other does not. Both credential NPs (one requres CNOR/RNFA to first assist the other does not). Neither facility requires CRNFA

You will need to be CNOR certified to complete a RNFA program (or be an APN). So on a timesacale it may be faster to complete your NP then a RNFA program. Or you could try to get 2 years experience in the OR enviroment, then RNFA, then NP school. There is one combined ACNP/RNFA program in existance that would be a great way to go.

Jeremy

Originally Posted by JockoJohnson

Hello,

I have been working in a CVICU for the past year as my first nursing job out of school, and have decided not to pursue CRNA, and want to focus on becoming a RNFA. I just had a few questions, and bear with me, I just finished a 12 hour night shift. Would it be beneficial to get an NP license along with my RNFA? Are you any more marketable that way? What about becoming a Surgical PA? Is there much of a pay difference between an RNFA and a Surgical PA, and how are the job duties different? Any info would be appreciated! Just looking for the best route to go with my current situation.

[JockoJohnson]

Thanks for all that great info! Do you think it would be o.k. to work in the O.R. and go to NP school at the same time?

[core0]

Originally Posted by JockoJohnson

Hello,

I have been working in a CVICU for the past year as my first nursing job out of school, and have decided not to pursue CRNA, and want to focus on becoming a RNFA. I just had a few questions, and bear with me, I just finished a 12 hour night shift. Would it be beneficial to get an NP license along with my RNFA? Are you any more marketable that way? What about becoming a Surgical PA? Is there much of a pay difference between an RNFA and a Surgical PA, and how are the job duties different? Any info would be appreciated! Just looking for the best route to go with my current situation.

Jer SD has given you some great advice about the RNFA. There are RNFAs out there in private practice that make great money but this is a result of leveraging 10+ years of relationships in the OR into a business. Its a rare thing.

As far as comparison with surgical PAs like I posted above there are a few RNFA that make very good money but many make $1-2 more than RNs in the same OR. Surgical PAs on the other hand are on the upper end of the PA pay scale. CV PAs are the best paid PAs on average at around $104k. I know a few SAs and RNFAs that make close to this but like I said its rare.

As a CVICU RN you would be competitive for most PA programs assuming good GPA etc. The down side is you probably need about a year of pre-reqs to get in. There are also two surgical PA programs in addition to the other 139 programs (all of which have surgical rotations).

Finally you need to examine the market you intend to get a job in. There are some markets where NPs can be employed in surgery. However, the vast majority of surgical NPP jobs are held by PAs. Some of this is historical and some is related to scope of practice. Its not meant to be a dig at those NPs that work in surgery, its simply the statistics.

David Carpenter, PA-C

[JockoJohnson]

From a $$$ standpoint, it sounds like PA is the way to go here. I wonder if I could work in the O.R. as an RN and go to PA school at the same time? I applied for the OR out of school, but they didn't take new grads, so I went to the ICU instead. Now I have my year in, I would like to move.

The reason I brought this NP idea up is that I asked a nurse on my unit, who just got her NP license, if I should go to PA school, and she asked me, "why would you take a step down". She made it seem like PA's don't really make that much. Money isn't my ultimate goal, but if the difference is 30-40k, it sounds worth it.

I'll definitely have to do some more research on this.

[core0]

Originally Posted by JockoJohnson

From a $$$ standpoint, it sounds like PA is the way to go here. I wonder if I could work in the O.R. as an RN and go to PA school at the same time? I applied for the OR out of school, but they didn't take new grads, so I went to the ICU instead. Now I have my year in, I would like to move.

The reason I brought this NP idea up is that I asked a nurse on my unit, who just got her NP license, if I should go to PA school, and she asked me, "why would you take a step down". She made it seem like PA's don't really make that much. Money isn't my ultimate goal, but if the difference is 30-40k, it sounds worth it.

I'll definitely have to do some more research on this.

Most PA schools are full time. By this I mean 30-40+ hours of class time per week plus assignments. There are 2-3 programs that allow the student to go part time the first year (ie take it over 2 years) then take the second year full time (clinicals). Almost every program "heavily discourages" working full time.

To be honest getting more experience in the CVICU is probably more valuable. Most ORs do not let new RNs scrub which is the skillset you really want. You can pick up assisting in school, but the ICU management skills are what really sets you apart. There are also surgical post graduate programs for those that want them.

David Carpenter, PA-C