MD vs NP in the picu setting

dyslexicandetermined · Nov 6, 2011

thanks! do you hace any advice! :)

dyslexicandetermined · Dec 8, 2011

how long will it take to become an NP? (i think 6 i could be wrong)

would it be woth it just to go all the way and be an MD?

my family was discusing how the health care is changing and more people will have more NP care than doctor care in hospital and offices. is that true? also is it true that people predict that there will be a higher need for NP's in the future?

nohika · Dec 30, 2011

To be honest, if I was young and had the choice, I'd go for MD. To become an NP, it takes about 4 years of nursing school, another couple years MINIMUM to gain experience (and that's solely providing you get into the unit you want the first try...), and then...probably 2-3 years full time, more if not, to get through NP school.

People can predict all they want, but no one knows what is really going to happen. With medical reinbursements being cut, all types of providers are suffering. I think NPs will be in demand in outpatient settings, but probably less in critical care areas.

dyslexicandetermined · Dec 31, 2011

thank you for your time!

dyslexicandetermined · Dec 31, 2011

is there even np's in the picu? if so, what do they do? do they do more than what a nurse does?

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Dec 31, 2011

I think I've already answered this earlier in the thread. There are NPs in many PICUs across the continent. I used to work on a PICU that has one; my current unit has 2 clinical nurse specialists rather than NPs. What do PICU NPs do? That depends on the unit where they work but most of them have a spot on the call schedule where they manage all the patient-care issues that arise in the same way that the resident or fellow would. They prescribe drugs, they place lines, they remove lines, they put in sutures and drains, they remove drains, they order tests and diagnostic imaging, they interpret the results of the tests they order, they consult specialties as needed, and they might do any or all of the things the bedside nurse does.

I'm interested in why you're even asking about NPs. You don't seem to have a very good grasp of the scope of practice, even after all the responses you've gotten on this thread and having read the article on the NPs working in NICU that I posted for you. Actually, I'm not sure you know what RNs do either. And the PICU piece eludes me. What is attracting you to the PICU world? If you're thinking about becoming an NP for the money, then I'd recommend going the MD route because MDs make a LOT more money than NPs. If you want to have a relationship with the people you provide care for, then become an NP.

dyslexicandetermined · Jan 2, 2012

i reasked this questuon to see if anyone else had a different view or feelings toward np's. My family has alot of health providers in it who talk about the health care over family dinners. i was just seeing what others thought. I am only in high school searching for career advice. I do not no what it is like to be a nurse because i am not one, but my mom has been a nurse for 27 years. she gave me stories, discripions, and advice too!

The picu is an interesting place to me. my cousin has a heart problem sence birth. I have seen him in the Picu several times due to open heart surgery. The way they took care of him inspired me.

i dont realy care about how much money a career can make. I just hear alot of family members who want me to become a doctor. I do not see myself becoming a doctor in any way. i just did not know what a NP realy did that was diffrent from a doctor or a nurse. i would like to care more for a patient's family and well being then to cure the disease. i just wanted more advice that is all. I relized that i reposted the questions the same way.... just wanted more detailed responses.

I did apply to a summer internship program at a childrens hospital so a could really see the health care in action and to shadow a nurse in the Picu!

(sorry if spelling is bad i did this on my phone!)

zoidberg, BSN, RN · Jan 19, 2012

good thing about nursing: its okay not to know what you want to do. A four year BSN is one of the best undergrad choices. you can still take your pre med courses and go to med school if that is what you decide, but you can also stay a nurse, and many options open up to you from there. After my undergrad in Biology, i thought i wanted to go to PA school, but was not sure. I chose nursing, because i would then be able to work and see all the areas that interest me (critical care, psych, etc) and then after gaining experience I can get my master's and function in a similar role to what I would be doing as a PA, but in a more natural progression in my opinion. And, if I decide I want/need a career change, Nursing is really flexible in what areas I can work(admin, teaching, informatics, etc.), many more than a PA which is strictly a clinician who extends a Physicians reach.

dyslexicandetermined · Jan 21, 2012

thank you benm93, i am going to go to nursing school. this will allow me to figure out what path i will want to take. thank you for your time!

Sloan RN · Mar 19, 2012

If I were you, I'd see about shadowing in a PICU or even working as a tech there, to see first-hand what it's like. I'm sure the roles of NPs are different depending on which PICU you're in...where I work (a large teaching hospital), the NPs are often stuck doing a lot of the paperwork (i.e. admission histories, progress notes, etc) and letting the residents and fellows do all the procedures (i.e. line placements, intubations, etc). I think in teaching hospitals you usually end up giving up a lot of hands-on procedures to residents and fellows because they're there to learn, and they get first crack at everything.

I think some first-hand experience in the PICU is what you really need to figure out what you really want.

dyslexicandetermined · Mar 20, 2012

thank you that sounds like a great idea. I am waiting to see if i got into this summer internship at a childrens hospital near where i live. if i do not get in then i will try to see if i can shadow a nurse in a local hospital!

hazelnutcoffee, BSN, RN · May 1, 2020

On 9/13/2011 at 2:58 PM, picurn1972 said:
I work in a level 1 peds ICU and NP's do nothing but round with the fellows/attendings writing their orders. They make no decisions and do NO invasive procedures. Maybe it will change one day but not in top teaching facilities where these fellows need to gain vast experience to care for future sick kids. Only way in our city to d lots of procedures etc is NP in the adult worl. Sorry to dissapoint, but why on earth do 4 yrs BSN, and 3-4 years for NP considering youll need a doctorate to make only maybe 25% of that of the md. Don't forget the tme yull need to spend on the floor getting RN experience. Most reputable NP programs require at least 1 year. In addition thats 8-9 years, compared to 4 yrs premed 4 yr residency and 3 year fellowship 3 extra years to make an easy 300,000 more, not to mention the procedures, intubations, cdes etc. If you can handle it and want it go MD, it is what I advised my stepdaughter

What top notch facilities are you referring to? I’ve worked at Yale Children’s Hospital and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (the 2nd best CH in the nation) and their critical care NPs do everything the attending physician can do. In fact, they lead the team during rounds and are the first person the bedside RN goes to, the attending is more support/directive when there is a complex patient. I do recognize this post was written almost a decade ago haha, but just for anyone new lurking around and wondering - if you choose to go a different route than MD, you still have the capability (although keep in mind your scope of practice) to do what a doc can do as an NP.