Any nurse practitioners wish they had be physical therapists?

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I was wondering do any nurse practitioners wish they had been physical therapists? Also have any Nurse practitioners on here ever been sued? I want to be a nurse practitioner, but I later on in life was hoping to get married, and I don't want to get the family I have into a mess if I get sued. I would like to own a house one day also, but I think that becomes very impossible after you get sued. I mean I study hard, so chances are I wouldn't because I know what I am doing. If anyone knows what yearly malpractice is for a NP and physical therapist please let me know.

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Specializes in Oncology.

I work for the state so our salaries are published online. I was playing around with that website last night. I made $30k more than one of the PT's last year. And they're required to have a doctoral level education. And they're salaried, so when they're there late charting (as they often are) that's it. I'm paid by the hour so I get paid for all of the time I'm there. So no, I don't wish I had become a PT.

As for your concerns with being sued: .

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Specializes in Registered Nurse.

NP and PT and two totally different jobs. That's like asking an astronaut if he/she regrets not becoming an accountant.

And unless you open up a one man shop I wouldn't worry too much about being sued. If you work for a corporation they usually provide coverage plus you can supplement with your own. Believe Me NPs are way down the food chain in the malpractice legal game.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Nope, APRNs can and do get sued at surprising frequency.

However, when/if you get sued, you do have legal representation and your own assets: car, home, savings, retirement are usually exempt from becoming part of the suit.

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So If I get sued not saying I would, but does that mean they might not be able to come after my house, car and the other stuff you listed?

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Moved to the Nurse Practitioners forum to elicit replies from more NPs.

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So If I get sued not saying I would, but does that mean they might not be able to come after my house, car and the other stuff you listed?

This is why you get a and you are golden

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I was told nurse practitioners pay lower for and they get sued less. There is a story out there about how doctors never say they are sorry when they mess up and that leads to lawsuits. NP's are much more humble and less condescending than doctors so that could be a reason.

Also, let's be honest with ourselves. If I was family member of a patient and I wanted to sue somone for the money, who would you sue? The wealthy doctor or the Nurse. Obviously i'd sue the doctor to get money from him as opposed to suing the nurse practitioner. Until the general public starts to realize we are making BANK, we won't get sued as crazily.

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However, when/if you get sued, you do have legal representation and your own assets: car, home, savings, retirement are usually exempt from becoming part of the suit.

I'm curious as to why you believe one's own assets are usually exempt from a lawsuit. I'm not a lawyer, but the only situation I am aware of where this might apply would be if one had formed a certain type of company - a Limited Liability Company, with the intention of shielding one's personal assets, or if one was covered under such an arrangement. If you are speaking in regard to , my understanding is that judgements/legal costs/attorney fees that exceed the limitations of one's policy or that are not covered by one's policy are the responsibility of the individual sued, so one's personal assets would not be protected in this situation. However, if you meant that there is a high likelihood that one's will cover costs incurred in a lawsuit I would agree, as long as the nurse practices competently within their Scope of Practice and follows facility policies and procedures.

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Specializes in Internal Medicine.

Strange question. You could ask if any NP's wish they had been pharmacists too.

I'm sure we all have a job we wish we could do other than our current profession, but I can't imagine too many NP's are looking at PT's wonder what could have been.

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I was told nurse practitioners pay lower for malpractice insurance and they get sued less. There is a story out there about how doctors never say they are sorry when they mess up and that leads to lawsuits. NP's are much more humble and less condescending than doctors so that could be a reason.

Also, let's be honest with ourselves. If I was family member of a patient and I wanted to sue somone for the money, who would you sue? The wealthy doctor or the Nurse. Obviously i'd sue the doctor to get money from him as opposed to suing the nurse practitioner. Until the general public starts to realize we are making BANK, we won't get sued as crazily.

all doctors are douches and all NPs are angels from heaven. Gotcha

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Specializes in Neurology, Psychology, Family medicine.
I work for the state so our salaries are published online. I was playing around with that website last night. I made $30k more than one of the PT's last year. And they're required to have a doctoral level education. And they're salaried, so when they're there late charting (as they often are) that's it. I'm paid by the hour so I get paid for all of the time I'm there. So no, I don't wish I had become a PT.

As for your concerns with being sued: malpractice insurance.

I'd be careful throwing the "Doctorate" term around, have you looked at the curriculums? Not saying it is easy for PT's but their doctorate isn't some magical being in difficulty.

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