Base career goals on Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant?

[Hypoxic Pixel Eyes]

I am currently considering either option as an end goal.

I'm a 39y/o and see autonomic and financial rewards in both professions as well as a viable time frame.

I need to shape my prerequesites and add classes to my ADN as I see it to make me more competetive for either program over other canidates.

How well established is either practice REALLY.If I go only to thier governing boards for information that really won't give me the true picture.

I'm interested mainly in scope of practice and autonomy and making an impact to the patient directly.

I want to hear from any of you regardless of your academic backrounds.What I am looking for is YOUR perception of what the two fields seperately contribute to the patient,if you percieve thier autonomy as merely the "clean-up crew" for the MD's or that they directly contribute because of thier skills.

I was in another field a few years ago that was touted as being collaborative with other disciplines and highly skilled as well as somwhat independent.The independent part was sure right.As a group we were pretty much collectively dissmissed and expected only to do certain functions.We were directed by pretty much every group in being called upon to perform basic tasks by Nursing,Physiscians,x-ray,lab,and of course none of those tasks were anything they could have not done more efficiently and in less time than my frazzeld schedule would have allowed,it's just that these duties were sooooo meanial and never ending.Not that I didn't have my shining moments(to the patients benefit,not mine)I just don't want to train for years to take another job title like Invisible Man.

All input will be appreciated.

[Hypoxic Pixel Eyes]

I am currently considering either option as an end goal.

I'm a 39y/o and see autonomic and financial rewards in both professions as well as a viable time frame.

I need to shape my prerequesites and add classes to my ADN as I see it to make me more competetive for either program over other canidates.

How well established is either practice REALLY.If I go only to thier governing boards for information that really won't give me the true picture.

I'm interested mainly in scope of practice and autonomy and making an impact to the patient directly.

I want to hear from any of you regardless of your academic backrounds.What I am looking for is YOUR perception of what the two fields seperately contribute to the patient,if you percieve thier autonomy as merely the "clean-up crew" for the MD's or that they directly contribute because of thier skills.

I was in another field a few years ago that was touted as being collaborative with other disciplines and highly skilled as well as somwhat independent.The independent part was sure right.As a group we were pretty much collectively dissmissed and expected only to do certain functions.We were directed by pretty much every group in being called upon to perform basic tasks by Nursing,Physiscians,x-ray,lab,and of course none of those tasks were anything they could have not done more efficiently and in less time than my frazzeld schedule would have allowed,it's just that these duties were sooooo meanial and never ending.Not that I didn't have my shining moments(to the patients benefit,not mine)I just don't want to train for years to take another job title like Invisible Man.

All input will be appreciated.