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  1. What profession should I pursue?

    • 2
      PA
    • 0
      NP
    • 11
      Krusty Krab Fry Cook

13 members have participated

I hope I'm in the right place; I'm bad with forums.

So I'm pre-RN in college right now(doing pre-requisites) and I'm interested in being advanced practice. I know everyone says you should get experience before applying to a Graduate program, but I would rather just do advanced practice instead of being a floor nurse for years on end, getting experience. Most people tell me to go to PA school since this is more my fit but PA school is INSANELY expensive, compared to some of the NP programs around me. The only problem is, I don't know if I have a shot of getting in any of the NP programs without any experience. Is it possible? Or should I just pursue being a PA?

Thanks, JT.

Without having heard hundreds of lung sounds etc. do the nurse practitioner programs really provide enough assessment experience to start prescribing medications?

I wouldn't have thought that those were the basic things that were covered.

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Wow, that was one of the most immature post I've read in a while.

roser13

"Your ID is correct. Obviously your life experience is lacking"

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OP stated that he (not she) wants to obtain an advanced degree without putting in "unnecessary" years of experience. In fact, his preference is to be a PA, but he feels that the cost of the education is prohibitive (perhaps it includes experience??). So we have a student who doesn't want experience in his chosen field, but wants the cheapest possible route to authority.

OP degraded himself by disclosing his value system. I just made it more obvious to the casual reader. And that's why nursing folks love this forum: you get good advice from experienced professionals who have seen/heard it all.

Your original post about the OP was disgusting. If you think your experience qualifies you to speak to people in that manner, clearly you still have some more learning to do.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
Your original post about the OP was disgusting. If you think your experience qualifies you to speak to people in that manner, clearly you still have some more learning to do.

Lol!!

Please take your own advice:

"You clearly did non [sic] understand my post. Having a stance on something is one thing, but dismissing other people's behavior or actions as "hogwash" simply because it is not aligned with what you would do is silly."

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I'll give you my thought process on the NP vs PA debate. I'm older and have a non-health care-related B.S. Originally, I wanted to do the PA route. It's two plus years and done. Perfect! I think but:

1. Most PAs require a fair amount of prerequisites. Often, I saw a 5 year time limit in them, so I had to take everything over. That was at least 3 semesters, likely more.

2. PA school is insanely expensive, as you mentioned.

3. PA school is insanely competitive. If you read enough posts on AN, you'll see that NP programs are everywhere. While that's not necessarily a good thing, for me it helped tip the scales because I was not a conscientious student back in my undergrad days.

4. PA schools require some type of hands on experience in health care. I'm older, so quitting my good paying job to work for $10/hr as a CNA didn't make sense. As a RN, I can make a good wage as I move up the educational ladder. I am in an ADN program now; I did not have the grades or money for an ABSN or ELMSN.

5. Typically, PAs are in a specialty of some sort whereas NP do more primary care. Primary care appeals more to me. (However, this is not universally true).

6. Nurses have more political clout. They push for more autonomy and rights to practice. I don't see that as much with PAs. In my state, NPs can practice independently, but PAs cannot.

Good luck. It's smart to think ahead. And, don't ever mention you want to be a NP again at school or work. :)

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PA school requires at least a yr of direct pt care, such as being a PCA or CNA.

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I felt the same way until I got my first nursing job and realized how much I still didn't know

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Specializes in psychiatric.

OP, You should ask this on the Nurse Practitioner forum, you will get less emotional answers.......for the most part lol. Also, if you do a search on the site there will be a few threads already addressing this question.

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well said colleague. He will find his way, but I have learned that experience is the best way. It's scary out here sometimes and the school of nursing that I have come from seems almost extinct. Good Luck on your journey sir and pray that you make a wise decision.

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