Pa if you could go back and do it over?

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My turn to ask one of these questions now!! I've read before "rn vs pa or md" but my question is a little different. If you had the time, means, and ability to go to pa school would you have still picked nursing knowing what it's like to be working as a nurse?

(By ability I mean you're driven enough to study hard and volunteer to get in the school and be successful)

I love nursing very very much so far including the enemas, bedpans, and all. This will sound bad but the reason I sometimes wonder about pa is for the money. They start out making 90k here and are in demand. While an RN starts out maybe 50k. I didn't choose nursing for the pay and sometimes I wonder if I should think more about money. I don't really think I would ever give up nursing though. But would anyone here have knowing now what nursing out of school is like?

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Specializes in ER/Tele, Med-Surg, Faculty, Urgent Care.

OK And what do NPs start out at in your part of the USA? You compare new PA at 90k vs new RN at 50K. That's apples/oranges comparison.I would not do PA. I live in New Mexico where NPs have had independent practice for over 20 years. I would still be a nurse. I have had an exciting nursing career. Can not imagine doing anything else. As a NP I make double or slightly more then RNs, make double what I made teaching in a BSN program (9 month faculty vs full time NP)

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OK And what do NPs start out at in your part of the USA? You compare new PA at 90k vs new RN at 50K. That's apples/oranges comparison.I would not do PA. I live in New Mexico where NPs have had independent practice for over 20 years. I would still be a nurse. I have had an exciting nursing career. Can not imagine doing anything else. As a NP I make double or slightly more then RNs, make double what I made teaching in a BSN program (9 month faculty vs full time NP)

Haha yeah that's an excellent point. NP takes longer than PA (at least, the program I know of is 2 years academics and 1 year of residence) but I think for me it would be worth the longer time.

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I think NP starts out the same as PA. I don't know of anyone to confirm it though (my friend's sister is a pa who started out at 90k) but searching came up as really similar.

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NP's have more autonomy, so I wouldn't want to be a PA. Plus I prefer the nursing model over the medical.

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Specializes in Pedi.

PA was never on my radar. Like not ever. I wouldn't do it in reality and I wouldn't do it hypothetically.

And, for the record, I make $1K less than your desired PA salary as an RN.

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To be honest I looked into how to be a pa, salary, and demand but I don't know exactly what they do. I imagined similar to an RN (ducks the tomato) since they are both under an MD but I know how the medical and nursing model differ. Anyway thanks I wondered how nurses felt about the possibility of being a pa!

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Specializes in Cardiac, Home Health, Primary Care.

It'd be a tough choice for me. I'd still do BSN for sure because I love the nursing background. As for a masters program if it was the same cost as my NP program I'd have to really mull it over.

I love the nursing background but I'd have enjoyed the "rotations" of the PA program. They are able to go inpatient, outpatient, etc. with no issue or questions about "Can a FNP work inpatient in my state??"

NP's aren't totally independent in my state but that may change in upcoming years.

Basically: if I'd had the option I'd really have taken time to compare the programs and pick the right one for me.

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Specializes in Pedi.
To be honest I looked into how to be a pa, salary, and demand but I don't know exactly what they do. I imagined similar to an RN (ducks the tomato) since they are both under an MD but I know how the medical and nursing model differ. Anyway thanks I wondered how nurses felt about the possibility of being a pa!

RNs are not "under an MD." We are not their assistants the way PAs are, working under their direct supervision. A PA is a Physician's Assistant, the Assistant to the Physician. An RN is Registered Nurse. An RN may assist a Physician in certain things- during surgery or for various procedures on the floor but she is not his assistant. There are no physicians employed by my company, I neither assist nor am supervised by them the way PAs are.

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RNs are not "under an MD." We are not their assistants the way PAs are, working under their direct supervision. A PA is a Physician's Assistant, the Assistant to the Physician. An RN is Registered Nurse. An RN may assist a Physician in certain things- during surgery or for various procedures on the floor but she is not his assistant. There are no physicians employed by my company, I neither assist nor am supervised by them the way PAs are.

I might not be too sure yet about how much an RN can do on their own. I always ask my teacher "do we need a physician's order for that" in class. So far I've learned RN's need an order for meds and restraints that's all I know. I was surprised that RN's could do so much without orders.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I would never be a PA or an NP. I simply do not have the mindset of a provider and never will. In addition, as an RN with a BSN degree I already earn in the starting range that you mentioned for the PA.

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Specializes in NICU, Trauma, Oncology.

Many of the PAs I know actually told me they think they would have preferred to go the NP route due to more autonomy and flexibility as an NP

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