I am a RN BSN who has worked in MS for 3 and a half years (CMSRN and whatnot) who also got into PICC nursing on the side about a year and a half in. It was at that point I discovered that I liked doing procedures more than anything else. As such, I have a large interest in doing some kind of surgery some day. I have always been more attracted to the technical aside of healthcare rather than the holistic and I want my next move to reflect that. I know the debate of PA vs NP will forever cause a general rabble rabble to break out, but I personally feel that because my goals are aligned to surgery/procedural side of healthcare that going for a PA-C is better despite the whole autonomy lobbying deal. Right now Im a travel nurse and my last rotation will hopefully set me up to start schooling wherever that may be. Also, I only just got out of the army nurse corp, so my experience with PAs has been pretty exclusively military. I know its different on the civy side.
Top choices:
Intervention Radiology
Cardiac (Catheterizations)
Orthopedics
General
as you can see, I prefer the minimally invasive side of house so if there is some kind of other surgical sub specialty you can recommend I'm all ears!
I'm finishing FNP school shortly and have been in IR as an RN for 5 years. NPs and PAs both do IR. I find that preference for one over the other seems to be regional. I will be doing a final clinical rotation in IR where I place HD caths, ports, do paras and thoras, liver bxs, etc, under an NP and a PA. In my facility, these have been performed independently by PAs and NPs (doc in house, but not in procedure room).
You sound like me. I am in ACNP school and in the middle of an RNFA program. You will be well prepared to practice in the OR, IR, etc. I work in IR and the PAs and NPs do procedures independently (although the PAs still need everything cosigned, even if it is only within 24 hours). Being a PA isnt bad but legally (in many states) being an NP is better. So, IMO, doing an ACNP and RNFA together is the way to go.
PNW_NPstudent
91 Posts
I'm finishing FNP school shortly and have been in IR as an RN for 5 years. NPs and PAs both do IR. I find that preference for one over the other seems to be regional. I will be doing a final clinical rotation in IR where I place HD caths, ports, do paras and thoras, liver bxs, etc, under an NP and a PA. In my facility, these have been performed independently by PAs and NPs (doc in house, but not in procedure room).