Should I Become a Nurse Practitioner?

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I've always wanted to work in the medical field. Specifically, I'd like to be able to treat gunshot and explosion wounds. After I become an RN I was going to jump for becoming licensed as a Nurse Practitioner, and I was thinking of joining the military or something similar.

Would a NP be able to treat or perhaps even save someone who had suffered a gunshot or grenade explosion? Or is that out of their skill set? Do you think training for ER work would prepare me for such things? What specialty should I go in?

I'm also male, is it normal for a male to become a Nurse Practitioner?

Well, I'm sure you can find a place with a high number of gunshot wounds. Explosion wounds might be harder to come by. I find myself both intrigued and disturbed by your passion for them, though. :)

Maybe that's just me.

I do think perhaps you have an unrealistic and romanticized view of what it would be like to do that kind of work. You haven't even worked in the medical field yet, and you're wanting to "treat and even save" people with these kinds of trauma, and "maybe join the military".

I dunno, this post almost seems like a fake. Or like the poster is quite young. I may be wrong, and I don't want to jump to conclusions. But I think the first step would be to get some "work in the medical field" or "join the military", either or both, before you make plans to be an NP and save lives. Walk, then run.

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"an i am a male np and get nothing but compliments for being male."

i'm sure you're very cute, too;)

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.
Well, I'm sure you can find a place with a high number of gunshot wounds. Explosion wounds might be harder to come by. I find myself both intrigued and disturbed by your passion for them, though. :)

Maybe that's just me.

I do think perhaps you have an unrealistic and romanticized view of what it would be like to do that kind of work. You haven't even worked in the medical field yet, and you're wanting to "treat and even save" people with these kinds of trauma, and "maybe join the military".

I dunno, this post almost seems like a fake. Or like the poster is quite young. I may be wrong, and I don't want to jump to conclusions. But I think the first step would be to get some "work in the medical field" or "join the military", either or both, before you make plans to be an NP and save lives. Walk, then run.

The OP sounds like he watches at lot of action movies.

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The OP sounds like he watches at lot of action movies.
Or MASH reruns! :)
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Okay, I went back and read the OP's other posts on this forum. He's new so there weren't too many. He shares that he lives in an area where gunshot wounds are not unusual. In that context, this post is a little less... odd... to me. I do think that perhaps some intense experiences in his life may have led to this possibly disproportionate interest in gunshot and explosion wounds.

So, OP, I didn't mean to belittle you. But it might be useful for you to know that you come across realllly intense and perhaps a bit scary. Almost like you'd be willing to create the explosive situations in order to be able to save someone. If the experiences that created your interest were intense and scary, that would make a little more sense. Maybe you were in a situation where you wanted to save someone and couldn't.

But it also looks to me like you'd benefit from talking to someone.

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Okay, I went back and read the OP's other posts on this forum. He's new so there weren't too many. He shares that he lives in an area where gunshot wounds are not unusual. In that context, this post is a little less... odd... to me. I do think that perhaps some intense experiences in his life may have led to this possibly disproportionate interest in gunshot and explosion wounds.

So, OP, I didn't mean to belittle you. But it might be useful for you to know that you come across realllly intense and perhaps a bit scary. Almost like you'd be willing to create the explosive situations in order to be able to save someone. If the experiences that created your interest were intense and scary, that would make a little more sense. Maybe you were in a situation where you wanted to save someone and couldn't.

But it also looks to me like you'd benefit from talking to someone.

Actually, I understand where your coming from. I'm sure it does seem very odd that I'm talking about such things. Going back and reading my posts, it probably sounds like I'm a little looney. I didn't mean to sound so odd, and I'd certainly never create a dangerous situation for anyone else! Honestly, I'd just like to be able to make a difference in a trauma patient's outcome. Sorry, I didn't mean to come off the way I did.

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I definitely break the stereotype of male nurses being "adrenaline junkies" who all want to work in the ER or on a trauma helicopter. If I spend the rest of my career pushing pills to confused little old ladies that's fine with me, as long as I'm getting paid top dollar to do it.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
actually, i understand where your coming from. i'm sure it does seem very odd that i'm talking about such things. going back and reading my posts, it probably sounds like i'm a little looney. i didn't mean to sound so odd, and i'd certainly never create a dangerous situation for anyone else! honestly, i'd just like to be able to make a difference in a trauma patients outcome. sorry, i didn't mean to come off the way i did.

but trauma entails much more than gunshot wounds and explosion injuries. there are many many different trauma injuries that require the most care. each role has it's own specialty of contributing to the patients outcome and survival.......and there is always take of the "golden hour" it's the never ending dedication of the entire team that improves survival.

if the firefighters/paramedics can't get them extracted from the vehicle the will die there.....if the helicopter can't transport them from rural center to higher trauma centers they may die there. if the trauma units/surgeons/nurses can't get the patient to the or they will die there. if the icu nurses didn't care for these patients tirelessly for weeks/months on end....they will die there. if it wasn't for the rehab/pt/ot staff these patient would never lead a productive life.

i worked trauma flight in a very dangerous inner city place.....we wore flacc jackets........gun shot wounds and danger isn't all that glorious.

[color=#1122cc]faststats - accidents or unintentional injuries

[color=#1122cc]cdc - injury - wisqars (web-based injury statistics

[color=#1122cc]american college of surgeons: trauma programs: ntdb

[color=#1122cc]national trauma institute

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Other issues aside, NPs make more money and have a wider range of job responsibilities. Working overseas and/or in the military might suit you, sounds like. Working in a place full of conflict like Israel, you'd prob see more gunshots that you ever wanted to, just going to/from work.

:(

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Specializes in ER.

I'm going to echo the sentiment that your original post was odd.

I work in an inner city ER and I have to add that most good old GSW's aren't that impressive.

Either they hit "something", or they didn't. (and in my experience, most dont')

The entry wound and exit wounds are mostly tiny tiny little holes... scant bleeding and generally not gory at all, and the patients are discharged after lengthy observation from the ER with no admit if there was no internal damage...especially for non trunk and non head GSW's.

Basically, the patient goes to OR if something was hit, or they go home.... (or if it was a close range shotgun to the head, you aren't even going to see them since they bypass the hospital all together). If the patient goes to the OR, it's within 15-20 minutes of arrival to the hospital and trust me, NP's do not run the resus room, nor even get to enter them.

As for explosions, the only one I've seen in this particular inner city was a furnace that was being worked on. Pt has no "obvious" injuries except the ever dangerous sign of singed eyebrows and nose hairs along with some first degree burns.

Our hospital see's a large handful of GSW's weekly, if not daily and trust me....not very impressive after the first one.

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Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

On a very light note I think the perfect job for you is a medic for the A Team however if you've watched the original series you'll while they like to shoot they are no good at actually hitting anyone.

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.
"An I am a male NP and get nothing but compliments for being male."

I'm sure you're very cute, too;)

Well....:)

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