GN to NP in <1yr

[OhioCCRN]

I read a recent post regarding new graduates who cannot find work jumping on the NP bandwagon.

At work the other day, a new grad co-worker (less than 5 months experience) launched into a bitter tirade against a well known school for having the gall to expect her to have 2 years experience, have been involved in EBP, Committees and to have precepted before being allowed to even apply to join their ACNP program.....

Mind you, this nurse can barely handle her assignment... what makes her think that the NP is going to be an easy way out of floor nursing.... The courses take time and dedication and contrary to popular belief, graduation and subsequent employment are not a given..

[nynursey_]

I refuse to see PA or NP!! No way No how. My cousin...BS degree in Athletic Training...got into PA program at South University, in Tampa. I think its one of those for profit schools...she grad's in May. smh...

I'm just curious: what's wrong with her going into a PA program after having a BS degree in AT? If I'm not mistaken, entering a PA program is contingent upon already holding a BS degree in some other area, if not biology or one of the other hard sciences. AT majors do have a strong science basis in their major …

[PMFB-RN, RN]

If I'm not mistaken, entering a PA program is contingent upon already holding a BS degree in some other area, if not biology or one of the other hard sciences.

Any many schools yes. However PAs are like RNs in that they have a variety of entry points to practice from associates degree, to masters entry.

[RN In FL]

Any many schools yes. However PAs are like RNs in that they have a variety of entry points to practice from associates degree, to masters entry.

It just makes no sense to me. Again like many people that work in the medical field, an Athletic Trainer have no medical experience what-so-ever. So they may have taken a lot of A&P. So, they do clinical hours what, 3 months of different rotations, full time?? ER here, a FP clinic there? c'mon now. Scary to me. Will not see a PA nor a NP, me or my family. I feel sorry for people who do not know any better, the difference. J/S For profit schools for PA's is no different than online NP schools.

[PMFB-RN, RN]

It just makes no sense to me. Again like many people that work in the medical field, an Athletic Trainer have no medical experience what-so-ever. So they may have taken a lot of A&P. So, they do clinical hours what, 3 months of different rotations, full time?? ER here, a FP clinic there? c'mon now. Scary to me. Will not see a PA nor a NP, me or my family. I feel sorry for people who do not know any better, the difference. J/S For profit schools for PA's is no different than online NP schools.

Count your blessings that you have the option of seeing any level of provider you wish. Physicians have, to a large degree, abandoned caring for many people leaving many with no choice. We have ONE health care provider in my town, an NP. If you don't want to be seen by her then you face at least a 45min drive if there is no snow and ice on the roads, and you can get an appointment.

My experience as an RN and a patient with NPs has all been positive.

[Marsha238612]

I think the real name is Dr. Anger.....kidding....at least I think am.[/quote

Yes!!! I've thought the same thing!!!!

Sent via my iPhone using allnurses.com ❤️

[uronurse1]

This is a pathetic argument. Your post is all about what's good for you. Yes, it's all about money, and sadly, because it's all about money, there is a demand for midlevel providers. Patients deserve to receive quality medical care from experienced physicians. Quite often lives are at stake. My family and I, and everyone we know, want to receive quality care from physicians, not from people who are not trained as physicians and are basically clueless (which is what we have experienced). If I want cookbook medicine I have a copy of an Emergency Medicine manual on my ipod.

Here's a personal example. Family member with severe sepsis: midlevel spends an inordinate amount of time doing the work up, has to consult with the doctor multiple times, the whole thing takes forever and we are there for hours in the office. Finally the smiling idiot thrusts paperwork in my hands and says my family member needs to be admitted to hospital. How about expediting the admission? No, my critically ill family member has to be admitted through the admission office which takes a further hour or more. Now multiple hours have passed since we first presented at the Urgent Care. Then finally my family member gets a bed, and guess what, there are no orders for an hour or more. Meanwhile my family member is barely clinging to life. And sepsis requires prompt treatment. I could go on and on.

To further illustrate my first paragraph, recently my family member was very sick with what appeared to be a bad infection. On calling the specialist's office (we had been told by the doctor to come in to see him right away if we experienced any further problems), and relaying all of the above to the receptionist, the receptionist says "You can see the PA this afternoon." I said, "We don't want to see the PA; my family member has a lot of medical problems; we'll go to the Urgent Care." Suddenly the receptionist asks me to wait while she speaks to the doctor, and guess what, my family member was told to come in immediately. And yes, it turns out that after the doctor's assessment my family member needs surgery very soon. I refuse to play around with seeing midlevel providers when my family's lives are at stake.

First of all, why on earth would you take a family member with "severe sepsis" who is "barely clinging to life" to an urgent care vs an emergency dept? You are a nurse, correct? Urgent care centers are for urgent needs not emergencies. They may not be equipped to handle severe cases like the one you describe. I really doubt they have to admit very often which may somewhat explain the delay you described. You being the nurse should have appropriately directed your loved one to an ED where their care and susequent hospital admission would have been expedited based on the apparent emergent need. It sounds like your experience was more related to your poor judgment. And to refer to them as a "smiling idiot" is so utterly offensive. I can only imagine the way you treated this individual.

Secondly, what does your second example have to with anything? Your family member never saw the PA so how does this provide any basis for your mindset regarding the incompetency of "mid-levels". How do you know that the PA wouldn't have prescribed the same plan following their assessment? You don't know that.

Your blanket statement regarding NPs and PAs being "basically clueless" among many other of your derogatory comments along with your blatant disregard of real evidence really highlights your ignorance.

Like i said before, at the very least, the curriculum/education needs to be standardized across the board. I'm not saying that there aren't any questionable NPs practicing out there but I also could not say that there are no questionable physicians either. At this time there is strong evidence that points to equivalent outcomes between the groups which you cannot deny. Both groups are very important to healthcare which is more and more evident as time goes on.

[Susie2310]

First of all, why on earth would you take a family member with "severe sepsis" who is "barely clinging to life" to an urgent care vs an emergency dept? You are a nurse, correct? Urgent care centers are for urgent needs not emergencies. They may not be equipped to handle severe cases like the one you describe. I really doubt they have to admit very often which may somewhat explain the delay you described. You being the nurse should have appropriately directed your loved one to an ED where their care and susequent hospital admission would have been expedited based on the apparent emergent need. It sounds like your experience was more related to your poor judgment. And to refer to them as a "smiling idiot" is so utterly offensive. I can only imagine the way you treated this individual.

Secondly, what does your second example have to with anything? Your family member never saw the PA so how does this provide any basis for your mindset regarding the incompetency of "mid-levels". How do you know that the PA wouldn't have prescribed the same plan following their assessment? You don't know that.

Your blanket statement regarding NPs and PAs being "basically clueless" among many other of your derogatory comments along with your blatant disregard of real evidence really highlights your ignorance.

I'm not saying that there aren't any questionable NPs practicing out there but I also could not say that there are no questionable physicians either. There is strong evidence that points to equivalent outcomes between the groups which you cannot deny. Both groups are very important to healthcare which is progressively more evident as time goes on.

In reply to your first paragraph, you do not know the details of our situation as you were not present, so I must ask you to withhold your judgment about what I should have done or not done. Neither I or my family member KNEW that my family member had severe sepsis until the diagnosis was made at the urgent care. Yes, I was aware of the seriousness of my family member's symptoms. I cannot go into all the details of the circumstances. Yes, I am aware that the ER would have been the appropriate choice. However, we had to make the best of the circumstances we were in. Hence the Urgent Care.

In regard to my behavior towards the provider, you are responding to your own ideas about me. I was very polite with the provider.

I will ignore the rest of your post.

[SubSippi]

I think it's a better idea to choose a PCP based on years of experience and reputation in the community, than on the letters behind the name. An NP or PA with decade of experience is going to be much, MUCH more effective than an MD a few years out of school. I'm in my late 20s…if I went to a PCP who ended up being around my age, I'd be a little hesitant.

Similarly, I feel it's probable that acute care nursing experience is helpful to a newly practicing NP. I understand that roles are vastly different, as stated by the FNPs posting on this forum. However, an experienced RN will already have years of practice providing patient education, performing assessments, and may be more likely to recognize a patient who needs to be admitted to a hospital.

For the people who are against NP/PAs, would you rather have a new-grad RN taking care of you, or a LPN with 20+ years acute care experience? I'd pick the LPNs I work with any day. And when it comes to the RNs and LPNs with the same amount of experience, I have yet to notice a bit of difference.

Now, all of this is just my opinion. Please don't respond demanding the see EBP articles backing me up, because I don't have any. :)

[BlueDevil,DNP, DNP, RN]

@Susie2310

However, NPs do not present themselves as medical authorities since we are still nurses.

To each his own....but like it or not, the way that healthcare is going...there will be one MD "supervising" 20 NPs...and you'll be lucky to see your doctor.

Say what? I am absolutely a "medical authority" and I absolutely present myself as such. Where do you get this stuff? I don't have, have never had, will never have, a supervising or collaborating physician.

I tell you what, NPs or NP wannabes practicing apologetics actually do irritate me, whereas all the rest just amuse.

I think you are going into the wrong line of work. SMH.

[OCNRN63, RN]

Army yes, but Ranger no. I am not going to take credit for being that when I'm not lol. Yes I am done with pre med as well as a full time RN

Oh well, so much for the promotion.

Are you continuing through med school? That would be a tough schedule to do nursing and pre-med/med school. Makes me tired thinking about it.

[Dranger]

Oh well, so much for the promotion.

Are you continuing through med school? That would be a tough schedule to do nursing and pre-med/med school. Makes me tired thinking about it.

I am done with pre-med except o-chem 2 and just scheduled the MCAT. I would not be working through med school and fortunately enough I have saved enough from OT to get by for a decent while. We will see though! Dropping a few PA apps too just in case.

[OCNRN63, RN]

I am done with pre-med except o-chem 2 and just scheduled the MCAT. I would not be working through med school and fortunately enough I have saved enough from OT to get by for a decent while. We will see though! Dropping a few PA apps too just in case.

Ahhh, just go for it. If you think you need a backup plan, the more likely you are to use it.