Registered Nurse or Physician Assistant

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I have a friend who is OR Tech contemplating wanting to become a Registered Nurse and Physician Assistant. He is interested in both forms of healthcare. He already has his Bachelors Degree but he is now choosing which path he wants to take.

He does like both professions but he wants to round it down to expenses, job demand and mobility. He want to relocate a couple of times in the country. So which profession is easiest for someone who plans to relocate a couple of times.

Any advice from anybody that I can share to him.

  • Best bet money wise in terms of schooling and expenses
  • Profession has better growth and flexibibilty
  • Ability to relocate to different states of the country
  • More in demand

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There are so many ways to answer this question, but if one of his main goals is to move around, he should definitely consider travel nursing. I'd argue that nurses have the greatest geographic mobility of just about any profession. If he started in the RN role and eventually wanted to move into advanced practice, he could go back for an NP or PA degree.

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Specializes in Adult and Pediatric Vascular Access, Paramedic.

I say PA, if he already has a the pre req stuff out of the way. If he does he can be a mid level provider (PA) in 2 years instead of 5 plus to become an NP.

It also depends on how much responsibility he wants to own. He would have a lot more responsibility as a PA or NP, then he would as a nurse. Does he like to be a leader? He needs to look more into the roles and responsibilities rather then jusg if the job will allow him to move place to place.

Annie

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Specializes in Critical Care and ED.

It makes more sense to become a nurse first and then a nurse practitioner. If you have some healthcare experience and really good science grades then PA might be the way to go. But if he already has a Bachelor's he could do a direct entry BSN and work while going to NP school. He'd then have independent practice which a PA can't.

I would say that all three professions have equal ability for relocation and generating income.

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They are very different roles (prescribing,/diagnosing vs delivering care/treatments). He needs to figure out what he would be happy with first.

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