Which Is Better Np Or Pa ?

[EXOTIC NURSE, RN]

I hear a lot about PA's and a lot of controversary of the difference in the two but from my understanding you can only work in certain places with a PA and NP gives you a more rounded medical outlook from a nurses point of view. I also understand the the NP field is now saturated. Could someone please give some feedback on my concerns......Thanks very much in advance !!

[Agnus]

Their approach is worlds apart. It depends on where you are comming from what you want to be.

Personally as a patient I have been treated by both. Both were very competent and conscientious. But as a patient I'll take the NP any day.

I really don't like bgeing treated by a PA (there have been many) I much rather be seen by a NP. I have heard the same from other patients who were not in the health field themselves.

One BIG thing is the nurse REALLY listens and TEACHES. Her approach is holistic, and based on a nursing model. The PA is on a medical model. I found PAs were not particularly good at listening and even worse teachers. This has been my personal experience as a patient and you or others may disagree.

[Katnip, RN]

There's a PA in my nursing school class. He's going into nursing for several reasons.

One, as stated earlier, PAs operate on the medical model, he prefers a more patient-oriented appproach.

Two, a PA works under someone else's license-a physician. An NP works under his or her own license.

Three, he wants to travel internationally and go back to Ghana, where NPs are recognized, and since he doesn't have his own license as a PA, he can't practice there.

I haven't heard of the NP market being saturated. Schools in our area are very actively trying to recruit people into NP practice.

Depending on the state you live in, NPs may or may not have prescriptive authority. Most do have at least limited authority. Here in MD, NPs do not, but I believe PAs do, because of the licensing under a physician.

[EXOTIC NURSE, RN]

Thank you very much for your replies as I see 90 people viewed the question but had nothing to say so THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR REPLYING. I was just wondering about that specific topic as I am looking into NP Practice along with Clinical Nurse Specialist Practice.....

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

Short answer from here. NP.

[zumalong]

I have to agree hands down that A NP is the way to go. I don't know about the field being saturated because more and more NP are being recognized by the medical field as specialists that can take on more responsibility. The holistic care is the big difference in a NP vs. PA. Most of the PA's I have worked with are very competant, and I sometimes would rather talk to them about patients than any resident--but the NP is a nurse first and that is what is so special about them.

Good luck chosing your path. Either way we need competant caring professionals.

:)

[EXOTIC NURSE, RN]

Thanks for everyone's reply as I am taking them to heart and I appreciate your opinions and comments...............

[capgirl]

Hmmm, asking this question on a site for NURSES - is it any doubt that we would choose a NURSE practitioner?LOL

[np2b]

Re: NP Saturation: it depends on where you are, and what your specialty of choice is.

In the SF Bay area, there are several family nurse practitioner programs. They've been educating LOTS of FNPs, and as a result, it's not easy to find a full-time NP job right after graduation.

However, drive an hour or two away from the city, and there is a huge demand in the rural areas. If you want to do something like geriatrics, you're a little more marketable. I'm told that there is a big demand at the moment for neonatal NPs in the DC metro area.

I'm sure that this example can be applied in locations across the country. It all depends on where you want to practice, and who you want to practice with. Even in the saturated Bay Area, I've been told that you can usually find a couple of part-time FNP jobs straight out of school, build up your resume, and be marketable for a full-time job within a couple of years.