New to the Site. Questions I've had for awhile.

Saifudin · Feb 8, 2014

My suggestion is go for what interests you the most, what you think will bring you the most satisfaction and then look at the money. For me, despite being out of direct care NP practice since 1995, I still consider myself a clinician. The knowledge and skills I gained while in practice were invaluable as a nursing director and most recently in quality improvement and patient safety. Anesthesia vs. providing direct care are apples and oranges. If your a very people oriented type of person and get satisfaction from not only providing care but the feedback from those whom you provide care for, then I would go with an NP or a PA program. I believe the money is quite good in all three areas with anesthesia likely higher but so is the stress.

Redfoot · Feb 9, 2014

This will come off a bit harsh, but I feel you need an additional insight towards your decision. Bear in mind I know nothing about your background or age which might alter my advice.

I would focus on becoming a competent nurse, first and foremost. You have been accepted into nursing school, that is all. And Frankly an 84% on the TEAS test is not terrific, and the test is heavily weighted in Northern California at least. Finish BSN school first and do it well and then you can see about PA or NP school.

Most PA schools want documented patient contacted hours in the hundreds or more-this is not including nursing school. NP school is IMHO easier to get into, and pricey as heck in many cases. Frankly, going directly into NP school does not make for the greatest of providers, but that is strictly on personal bias and experience. Of my class, the students that could not find a job easily after graduation and had the finances (and not necessarily the best clinical skills) all applied and were accepted to NP school with ease. I will see in 1.5 years if these students were able to find employment as a mid level provider however.

I live and work in a rural setting, and with a minimal amount of overtime I match what mid-levels make here, and I am on step 2 of 10 pay scales and only have been here 20 months. I also do not need to be on-call, deal with issues regarding patient overdoses due to doctor shopping, and a host of other issues.

Where you live, where you are willing to relocate, the current job market (not so hot for new grads in some areas) will all help dictate where you will end up. And on the note about specialties, I may be of the old school but I feel that most new grads should spend at least 1 year on a medical/surgical floor before heading anywhere else. Many of the hospitals in my area feel the same way. With that said, many times the specialty chooses the person, not the other way around, so keep that in mind during clinical rotations.

Whether the cost is worth it to you depends on a variety of factors, and your avenue to repay it.

Contact some mid-levels in your area once you are in your nursing studies and they should be able to help you with some of this information, and they may let you shadow.

Good luck.

-Redfoot

hammerdown · Feb 15, 2014

Thank you for your input. Yes, an 84is by no means great on the teas but I do feel proud for making that because I did not have any study material. Most everyone that takes the test buys the 100 dollar practice tests with the test itself, I couldn't. So I feel like if I could have studied the practice tests like others I tested with, I feel like I might have performed better. Also I have read that many people perform really low on the science portion, but I scored in the 90th percentile. I am a 20 year old college student from a small town. Like you suggested, I am focused on nursing school and doing well in it because if I don't there would be no way to keep going. I plan on working a year or two in ICU before going on to any other program, but that may change by the time I graduate. I was just looking for some information about each profession and why you enjoy it.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Feb 16, 2014

Thank you for allowing this female to give input.

You have no clue what it will take to "get your BSN". Accomplish that.. and then we'll talk as to how you may "move up the ranks".

ChristineN, BSN, RN · Feb 16, 2014

Thank you for allowing this female to give input.
You have no clue what it will take to "get your BSN". Accomplish that.. and then we'll talk as to how you may "move up the ranks".

I agree. So many people think before they get their bsn that they want to be a CRNA or an NP, when they have often never worked in health care before. Keep your grades up in nursing school, see what rotations you like, and see where your interests lay upon graduation

Saifudin · Feb 16, 2014

I agree with the others that you should build a solid foundation before moving on. I left direct care NP practice in 1995 but in my positions following that as a Director of Nursing and most recently as a Director of Quality Improvement and Patient Safety, and now, as I ponder the direction I want to go in my career, I have and continue to consider myself a clinician. The mix of nursing and being a medical provider was a perfect fit for me. The nursing foundation is far different then medicine. The aspect of patient teaching and the caring element inherent in nursing for me was an excellent foundation for then learning medicine and providing an advanced level of care. I may go back to it. I also think that with healthcare in such flux with the nursing profession losing what many of us once felt was a 'recession proof' profession, I think that given the acute need for primary care providers that will continue to grow, NP practice may also provide more employment stability, but, time will tell. Either way, focus on the rigors of studies that lie ahead.

hammerdown · Feb 17, 2014

Thanks everybody for all the advice. I'm just going to focus on nursing school. Like you all have said I have a long way to go before I should think about anything else. With that said, I start this summer, taking Concepts and Patho. Any tips or advice to pass along? I've read that the earlier you get a NCLEX study book, the better. Does this really help? Once again thanks everybody for yall's help!