This is my first post (in fact I just made this account a couple minutes ago) so if I do anything wrong, I apologize. I know questions similar to this have been asked, but I’m very confused and was hoping for specific advice. I’m about to start college and really want to make a final decision. I’m very interested in health care, specifically Primary Care Pediatrics and have narrowed my choices down to Pediatrician or Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. Working in the NICU has crossed my mind as well, and it’s a consideration, but primary care pediatrics is more likely. My parents REALLY want me to go to PNP route, which is something I certainly understand. It is faster than the MD route and I want to be very involved in direct patient care. The nursing model is more appealing because again, being involved the the patients’ care is very important to me. If I went the PNP route, would my role differ much from that of a pediatrician? I’m just at a crossroads here because I want to be a leader and I’m scared of patients and their families not trusting me without the MD title, but I truly do prefer the role of Nurses/Nurse Practitioners and how involved they are. Do you NPs face problems from patients and families, or do you not have too many problems? From your guys’ experience, would you recommend the PNP or Pediatrician route?
I’m sorry it’s so long, just very confused LOL. Please let me know what you guys think. Thank you so much!
Specializes in RETIRED Cath Lab/Cardiology/Radiology.
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Your posts on this subject are paradoxical. About the only thing you actually got correct the problem is the curriculum and clinical time, not the DNP degree itself. The extra year is still a step in the right direction. Clinical hours accumulate as you practice. I'm just happy we agree, practice is what matters. So in the next 4 years, I should forever be ashamed I didn't do MD? Probably not as I can have my own practice.
I know you haven't looked at any research so the DNP would serve you well. There are many studies that show not all providers are created equal. So regardless of your educational path, you can still be a great provider - which was my point to the OP and you clearly missed. Just as easy as the whole DNP v curriculum argument. I'll get the clinical time later and work with some good psychiatrists.
The Koolaid most of the people I know are drinking was an obvious solution - we all wanted to be providers, and not have to return to school with the threat of the MSN going away. I was not gonna be poor for another 5-6 years and go back to undergrad for an MD. Big schools with MSN programs were being phased out when I was entering school. So... not as if I was gonna MOVE or go to an online school just to do an MSN then have to go back later for a DNP.
Yours is paradoxical as well. You state clinical practice as substitute for clinicals but then state that a DNP is necessary for "research". I have studied in other fields at the graduate level and nursing does not even touch the foundations of actual research. I'll pass on that, you don't need frivolous half as**d class online to teach you how to incorporate research into daily practice that my MSN program didn't already address. Once again, if you would rather have supercritical "research classes" and OJT training rather than an improved education +/- mandated residency, that's on you.
I know exactly what the DNP offers and none of it is relevant to the day to day practice of a NP. If you can caste away structured clinical time and residencies so easily, I can surely cast away the fluff courses the DNP offers right? None of the classes in the dozens of programs researched offer an improvement to the NP foundation as a clinician. Rather than address the real problems of NP education, the powers at be tried to make a power move with the DNP. This is akin to a bomber group carpet bombing the wrong city altogether.
I work with plenty of DNPs and not one of them thought their DNP education made them a better NP and we know from the CRNA model that enforcing a DNP mandate failed. Not ONE job posting have I seen requiring or preferring the DNP because nurse educators in ivory towers arent making the job postings, HR and physicians or admin teams are. They could care less about a weak online doctorate.
You might be of the opinion it doesn't matter. However, I have 2 additional years than you or the typical MSN, working on clinical problems, studying psychiatry and looking at treatment guidelines ... not to mention a brick and mortar school where hands on skills and demonstrations were required. "Because the jobs don't require it" is as weak an argument as anecdotes about pay or side practices, because more important are your clinical knowledge, experience and patient satisfaction/outcomes. You can rationalize your decisions however you like!
Also, if you need ideas for "fun," I can tell you 1 million other things other than going back to school. I almost went to art school, and even that wasn't fun because the teachers always told me what I had to paint.
You might be of the opinion it doesn't matter. However, I have 2 additional years than you or the typical MSN, working on clinical problems, studying psychiatry and looking at treatment guidelines ... not to mention a brick and mortar school where hands on skills and demonstrations were required. "Because the jobs don't require it" is as weak an argument as anecdotes about pay or side practices, because more important are your clinical knowledge, experience and patient satisfaction/outcomes. You can rationalize your decisions however you like!
Also, if you need ideas for "fun," I can tell you 1 million other things other than going back to school. I almost went to art school, and even that wasn't fun because the teachers always told me what I had to paint.
You are going to believe whatever you want, at the end of the day no one in actual practice cares. When you find a copious amount of jobs preferring the DNP over actual experience get back to me. During my extensive job search in LA, Seattle, SF, NYC, Boston, Dallas and Chicago I found 0 postings preferring DNP. None of my interviews asked about it nor did the physicians or HR people even know what the difference was. You know what DID matter? My residency/fellowship.
Umm I don't know about art but in the humanities you 100% choose what you want to research/study...Your thesis is a good 60% of a program and created by YOU.
dianah, ASN
8 Articles; 4,724 Posts
This is a gentle reminder to please post to the subject of the thread, and refrain from name-calling and insults, in order to comply with the Terms of Service.
Per the TOS:
"We promote the idea of lively debate. This means you are free to disagree with anyone on any type of subject matter as long as your criticism is constructive and polite. Additionally, please refrain from name-calling. This is divisive, rude, and derails the thread.
Our first priority is to the members that have come here because of the flame-free atmosphere we provide. There is a zero-tolerance policy here against personal attacks. We will not tolerate anyone insulting other's opinion nor name calling.
Our call is to be supportive, not divisive...
Nothing should ever be posted here that you would not say in front of a crowd of professionals."
Thank you.