I am a nursing student right now in an Accelerated BSN/RN program. It will be a long time before I decide on NP schooling but I would like to know more about it before hand since I've been having thoughts of medical school.
In the end I want to be a person that is able to keep someone alive in an acute setting, for example, being able to handle a code. Also I would like to open my own practice one day to take care of patients with everday problems and be able to refer them to specialists that are outside of my knowledge.
What are doctors able to do that a nurse practitioner cant? I live in NYC and I believe NPs are able to work under their own license and prescribe medication. Particularly I am interested in becoming an FNP since they are able to see a wide variety of patients.
What types of small end surgerys are NP's able to perform? What drug's can't they prescribe? What is the limit to the medical diagonses they are able to make?
If anyone can shed some light that would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
You are young enough to go to med school! My understanding is that med schools want applicants to have a Bachelor of Science as well as a year of biology, chemistry, etc. Why not get your BSN, then start your premed courses?
You are young enough to go to med school! My understanding is that med schools want applicants to have a Bachelor of Science as well as a year of biology, chemistry, etc. Why not get your BSN, then start your premed courses?
I've been thinking about it for a long time but I just don't know if I want to devote so much time if I can do what I want as an NP. I'm in an accelerated program so I needed another degree to get into this program in the first place. My first degree was in Biochem which encompasses all the pre reqs for medical school. However my grades were not great and there is no way I can make it to medical school with those grades. So if I were to do it, i'd want to retake these courses again but then I'm not sure how medical schools will see this.
I think courses are void after 10 years have past so you can retake them so they don't average your scores. If I were to take all pre reqs again and study for MCATs it'll probably take me a little less than a decade to become a full fledged doctor.
I love being in the medical field and nursing is such a great profession but it's not the type of material that I really like to study. I'm learning a great deal but since nurses provide different care to patients, everything we learn is very surface compared to medical school courses.
Although nowadays we don't need doctors to cure patients of diseases that are common because of our advancements. Nurses and PA's have enough under their belt to take care of illnesses that they couldn't decades ago. Uhh I dunno i'm just rambling now. Back to studying.. sorry lol. But thanks everyone.
Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.
I've been thinking about it for a long time but I just don't know if I want to devote so much time if I can do what I want as an NP. I'm in an accelerated program so I needed another degree to get into this program in the first place. My first degree was in Biochem which encompasses all the pre reqs for medical school. However my grades were not great and there is no way I can make it to medical school with those grades. So if I were to do it, i'd want to retake these courses again but then I'm not sure how medical schools will see this.
I think courses are void after 10 years have past so you can retake them so they don't average your scores. If I were to take all pre reqs again and study for MCATs it'll probably take me a little less than a decade to become a full fledged doctor.
I love being in the medical field and nursing is such a great profession but it's not the type of material that I really like to study. I'm learning a great deal but since nurses provide different care to patients, everything we learn is very surface compared to medical school courses.
Although nowadays we don't need doctors to cure patients of diseases that are common because of our advancements. Nurses and PA's have enough under their belt to take care of illnesses that they couldn't decades ago. Uhh I dunno i'm just rambling now. Back to studying.. sorry lol. But thanks everyone.
The time commitment and the difficulty getting into medical school are definitely good considerations. As a nurse practitioner in a hospital setting, I have heard many residents grumble that they should have picked a different career or maybe even got into becoming a mid-level provider instead. Similarly, there are NP's and PA's who later questioned their decision and wished they have gone to medical school. The decision is definitely tough and only you know what's best and it may not be clear right now.
The nurse practitioner role has its rewards in my case. I have been a nurse for a while and was ready to advance my career to the next level where I'd have a better grasp of patients' medical problems and have a degree of autonomy to do something about it. The nurse practitioner role filled that need for me. I also knew what field in nursing and medicine interested me the most and eventually picked a nurse practitioner role that matched my goals and personality. You are still a nursing student. You may not know exactly what direction you wish to take a future health care career to. That's why I do think the suggestion to consider PA school is a wise advice. As I mentioned, PA's are generalists and can practice in virtually any field of medicine and surgery without having to train in a formal university or college program again.
The time commitment and the difficulty getting into medical school are definitely good considerations. As a nurse practitioner in a hospital setting, I have heard many residents grumble that they should have picked a different career or maybe even got into becoming a mid-level provider instead. Similarly, there are NP's and PA's who later questioned their decision and wished they have gone to medical school. The decision is definitely tough and only you know what's best and it may not be clear right now.
The nurse practitioner role has its rewards in my case. I have been a nurse for a while and was ready to advance my career to the next level where I'd have a better grasp of patients' medical problems and have a degree of autonomy to do something about it. The nurse practitioner role filled that need for me. I also knew what field in nursing and medicine interested me the most and eventually picked a nurse practitioner role that matched my goals and personality. You are still a nursing student. You may not know exactly what direction you wish to take a future health care career to. That's why I do think the suggestion to consider PA school is a wise advice. As I mentioned, PA's are generalists and can practice in virtually any field of medicine and surgery without having to train in a formal university or college program again.
Did you mean the residents were contemplating their own career or they were saying that NP's should have changed their career? Yea luckily I won't have to make this decision for a long time. I will look into all these professions again once I graduate and get my license.
Thanks. Would you happen to know where I can find an exact layout of what an NP can do? I've only found general information like being able to prescribe drugs, diagnose, and do some surgeries like sutures? I just want to know where the limit is for an NP.
I would like to know specifically what drugs NP's can prescribe, the types of diagnoses they are able to make. Specifics. Thanks in advance.
The privileges of NPs vary by state. Check with the BON in the state in which you want to work and you'll find the answers that you're looking for.
Also, lay your hands on the Feb 2007 (11:2) edition of the The American Journal for Nurse Practitioners. I think you can go to http://www.webnp.net
I love being in the medical field and nursing is such a great profession but it's not the type of material that I really like to study. I'm learning a great deal but since nurses provide different care to patients, everything we learn is very surface compared to medical school courses.
Funny, I was just (and I mean literally just) going through this whole debate again in my head. Nursing courses are frustrating in their lack of depth and the enormous time wasted...
Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.
Did you mean the residents were contemplating their own career or they were saying that NP's should have changed their career? Yea luckily I won't have to make this decision for a long time. I will look into all these professions again once I graduate and get my license.
I meant they were contemplating their own careers. I work with residents who are in the General Surgery residency program which runs at least 5 years total. Including med school and undergrad, they would have completed at least 13 years of schooling and training to be a General Surgeon not to mention the fact that some will go into fellowship to specialize which could take another 2 years. I've heard more than a few say they would have rather studied to be a PA, NP, or CRNA instead of having to devote a large chunk of their life to training. This is not everyone though, many are willing to suck it up until the long awaited reward in the end. I've also known of 2 PA's and 1 NP who eventually went to med school.
I am a nursing student right now in an accelerated BSN/RN program. It will be a long time before I decide on NP schooling but I would like to know more about it before hand since I've been having thoughts of medical school.
In the end I want to be a person that is able to keep someone alive in an acute setting, for example, being able to handle a code. Also I would like to open my own practice one day to take care of patients with everday problems and be able to refer them to specialists that are outside of my knowledge.
What are doctors able to do that a nurse practitioner cant? I live in NYC and I believe NPs are able to work under their own license and prescribe medication. Particularly I am interested in becoming an FNP since they are able to see a wide variety of patients.
What types of small end surgerys are NP's able to perform? What drug's can't they prescribe? What is the limit to the medical diagonses they are able to make?
If anyone can shed some light that would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Ken
Here, Ken, is (I think) precisely the document that you're looking for...
PA's have to retake their certification exam with EVERYTHING on it every 10 (I think) years! Yikes. I actually go to a PA for my GYN care and I like her a lot. I would not want to take NCLEX again, let alone that kind of exam. If it were me, I'd go for the NP. You can do much of the same w/ the degree. Just my opinion. Good luck in whatever you decide! You could do what you are talking about w/ an NP degree.
ANCC and AANP certified NP's need to recertify every 5 years. We do not need to take the certification exam again to renew our certification if we meet the required number of CEU's and remain in clinical practice as nurse practitioners. ANCC has other requirements for recertification in addition to CEU's and clinical practice. The option to retake the exam is available if the NP has not met the CEU's and clinical practice requirements.
Virgo_RN, BSN, RN
3,543 Posts
I found this:
http://www.acnpweb.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3465
You are young enough to go to med school! My understanding is that med schools want applicants to have a Bachelor of Science as well as a year of biology, chemistry, etc. Why not get your BSN, then start your premed courses?