I’ll try to make this short. I am heavily considering giving up an acceptance to Physician Assistant school to attain my ASN. I am in my mid 20s and graduated college in 2017 with a bachelors in Biology. I have been everywhere in terms of careers and can’t ever pick. I decided on PA because I wanted leadership, a nice salary and to make a difference. However, I am realizing that I want to be a young mom, and I’d ultimately only want to work 2-3 days a week as a PA. With 100k in debt and a steep learning curve as a new PA, this makes little sense for me. But for a while, I allowed the idea to remain in my head. Now, I am thinking that pursuing an ASN for $4k sounds amazing. I have worked as a CNA, however, and in a med surg unit, and honestly hated my job and the nurses’. It all seemed like we were slaves. So that part worries me. To add to my list, I would need to move for PA school. My husband and I recently bought our home and I am happy living here. At times I’m afraid of regretting my choice to give up PA because maybe one day I’ll entertain the idea of being a provider and I have the opportrunity now. However, family is most important to me. I want time to travel and spend with my husband and kids. Any advice ? Thoughts? Is nursing as bad as I saw it working in a hospital? I’d like to work .5 fte or something along there as a nurse. Thank you all.
If you do end up going down the nursing route get your BSN from the beginning. It is hard to get the more desirable nursing jobs without it, and an ADN with a BS is not viewed the same way as BSN. I would strongly consider an accelerated program given your BS in bio.
Whether you decide to go PA or RN you will have to put in time before you get the job you actually want, be it a matter of shift preference, care area, or FTE status.
The proverb 'a bird in the hand is worth to in the bush' has existed for a long time for a good reason. I would be concerned that if you give up your PA spot that you may not get into nursing school, outside of overpriced private programs nursing school can be far more difficult to get into than you probably think.
A previous poster said that an accelerated BSN was 3 years but that isn't true. It's about 16 months so you will be working 8 months earlier getting income. Bite the bullet. You've will have a better income, choice of jobs, etc. Do it with the least borrowing possible. Work now and grow a war chest BEFORE you start classes. The other alternative is, since you don't know what you want to do, to do nothing before you invest in something that's not pleasurable for you.
As a BSN new grad I had to commit to a two year full-time contract with a hospital before being able to go PRN. I did an accelerated BSN program. PA school is the way to go in my opinion. I wish I could diagnose and treat right now.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
On 3/12/2019 at 6:27 PM, ang314 said:
Hi everyone!
I’ll try to make this short. I am heavily considering giving up an acceptance to Physician Assistant school to attain my ASN. I am in my mid 20s and graduated college in 2017 with a bachelors in Biology. I have been everywhere in terms of careers and can’t ever pick. I decided on PA because I wanted leadership, a nice salary and to make a difference. However, I am realizing that I want to be a young mom, and I’d ultimately only want to work 2-3 days a week as a PA. With 100k in debt and a steep learning curve as a new PA, this makes little sense for me. But for a while, I allowed the idea to remain in my head. Now, I am thinking that pursuing an ASN for $4k sounds amazing. I have worked as a CNA, however, and in a med surg unit, and honestly hated my job and the nurses’. It all seemed like we were slaves. So that part worries me. To add to my list, I would need to move for PA school. My husband and I recently bought our home and I am happy living here. At times I’m afraid of regretting my choice to give up PA because maybe one day I’ll entertain the idea of being a provider and I have the opportrunity now. However, family is most important to me. I want time to travel and spend with my husband and kids. Any advice ? Thoughts? Is nursing as bad as I saw it working in a hospital? I’d like to work .5 fte or something along there as a nurse. Thank you all.
Nurses aren't slaves. I am a respected professional.
There are nursing positions that offer leadership, a fair salary and the opportunity to make a difference, but first you'll need to get through nursing school and get some experience on the front lines.
The salary for PAs is higher, but there's that pesky student debt to consider . . . and moving.
Ok I’m not a nurse yet just working on my pre reqs for school now and I want to give you some perspective from a moms point of view.
If you want to be a mom now go for it! Especially if you still don’t really know what you want to do. I waited til I was 30 to have my baby cause I didn’t know what I wanted to do. He is amazing and I wish I would have had him earlier. I turned 31 right after he was born. Now I’m scrambling for school cause I also want a second baby and I feel like time is not on my side. I don’t want them to have a huge age gap. The light at the end of the tunnel is we have been able to live off of my husbands income without accumulating debt.
School is going to be harder with a child. Especially if you and your husband have no help. I’m taking my pre reqs now part time but I can’t work. Not even part time cause I am the main care provider for our baby and I need to get As or I won’t be accepted into a nursing program in my area. We have no family in the area.
So I would look at your situation and see what you guys really want and can pull off. I’ve been home with my baby for 5 months and I do not regret it. What I do regret was not working 2 jobs before and during pregnancy to save up as much as I could before having him. I feel like nursing school will always be there.
Keep in mind, and some might disagree, as a PA or NP, you are a well respected white collar professional, but as an RN, I hate to say it, you are very much pink collar. With all the toxic, bullying nonsense that entails.
subee, MSN, CRNA
1 Article; 6,139 Posts
A previous poster said that an accelerated BSN was 3 years but that isn't true. It's about 16 months so you will be working 8 months earlier getting income. Bite the bullet. You've will have a better income, choice of jobs, etc. Do it with the least borrowing possible. Work now and grow a war chest BEFORE you start classes. The other alternative is, since you don't know what you want to do, to do nothing before you invest in something that's not pleasurable for you.