Nurse Practictioner vs Physician Assistant?

cayenne06, MSN, CNM · Oct 20, 2012

Well, you first have to think about what you want to do with your degree. If you want to do surgery, you should probably be a PA. If you like acute care, being a CNS might be better. If you want more independence, being an NP might be the job for you, depending on your state. Salaries are all over the place depending on your specialty, but AFAIK CNS, NPs and PAs get paid about the same. I could be wrong.

If you are already an RN with a BSN, becoming an NP or CNS is probably going to be a little quicker. If you are an LPN, or maybe even an RN with an associate's, it is probably close to the same for all routes, unless you get into an accelerated MSN program.

kjohnson1 · Oct 21, 2012

I am just a pre-nursing student but from what I've heard NP's are more specialized in one particular area. PA's are more general practice. A PA would work under a physician, whereas an NP wouldn't have to (in most states). Both can write prescriptions, although I believe they are both limited in the prescriptions they can write. The salaries are fairly close but they can vary. The reason why I am choosing NP is because I like the nursing route as opposed to the PA route. The nursing route is a little bit more time, but the fact that I can start working after getting my associates is why I am choosing this route. The best thing you can do is to talk to both an NP and a PA and see which one sounds better to you.

Good luck!

SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP · Oct 22, 2012

I have just made the decision to go on to PA school after completing my RN. I did a lot of research on both careers. Here's what I determined after talking to a few NPs & RAs:

1. NPs are autonomous, where as PAs work under the supervision of a physician. The PA may work autonomously, but their work is always reviewed by a physician. I liked the way PAs collaborate.

2. NPs are more limited in their scope of diagnosing & prescribing medications than a PA. PAs in my state may diagnose & prescribe anything that a physician does (because a physician reviews the PA's work). NPs do not have the same type of review and are very limited in the types of prescriptions and treatments they can provide.

3. PAs are trained in medical school (first 2 years of med school with MD/DO students). NPs are trained in nursing school. I am in no way saying one is better than the other. But the idea of med school appeals to me.

4. PAs have a license to practice medicine under the supervision of a physician. PAs can specialize (e.g. Emergency Medicine, Pediatrics, Orthopedic, etc.). NPs can also specialize and open their own practice.

5. Pay scale varies by state. In my state, PAs typically earn more than NPs (unless it's a DNP).

So, it all depends on what appeals to you more. I was originally interested in getting my DNP, but I've decided I like the collaborative approach of being a PA. If I had my wish, I'd be a doctor...but at my age, I'd be ready to retire by the time I was done with pre-med, med school & internship/residency. Going to PA school after getting my BSN is much shorter than becoming a doctor. Do your research & talk to PAs/NPs in different settings (hospitals, urgent care facilities, etc.) They're usually very happy to give you their opinion on their career. I've had some great discussions with them and received a lot of encouragement.