TraumaRN2010

I work in a trauma/surgical ICU, and we work very closely with our doctors. One of the main differences between the two professions is that doctors prescribe the treatment, the nurses carry out the treatment. Not to say that the doctors just sit there and write prescriptions, but our doctors are responsible for 20+ patients at a time. We are typically responsible for two. it would be impossible for the docs to do both jobs. We are the ones who notify the doctors of changes, give the medicines, take care of the patient, assess and continually reassess to keep up with changes. Our nurses work much more closely with the patients than the docs do. So depends on what you enjoy doing. If you want more patient interaction, nursing is probably a better fit. Doctors may get paid more, but they go through a lot more school than nurses, premed, med school, then residency. It also seems easier for a nurse to change their jobs than doctors. Many nurses will work with different populations before deciding where they belong, or decide they need a change after working a number of years. Both professions take a lot of dedication, so be sure this is what you want to do before putting in the time. Good luck!