RN Vs. PA?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Feb 4, 2006

The overwhelming majority of people who post on this site are, of course, nurses.

Therefore, the replies might be biased toward selecting nursing as a future career choice. You should pursue the career track that piques your interest most strongly. Good luck.

smk1, LPN · Feb 4, 2006

I'm considering going to school to either be and RN (BSN) or a PA? Which do you think is the better career choice based on your experience? From what I've seen PA's tend to make more money, and get to do more "doctor type" work. Since I am most interested in "doctor type" work, I'm leaning towards this field. What do you think?
Thanks

an RN (BSN) has a very different role than a PA would, a better comparison would be NP (nurse practitioner (MSN) and PA. In a lot of places these two professionals function in pretty much the same capacity and their income is fairly close, some states allow NP's more freedom than PA's and an NP is an independent practitioner, while a PA must have "supervison or collaboration" with an MD/DO. Getting into either field will take you about 6 -8 years if starting from scratch because they are both Masters prepared practitioners (for the most part) and a PA usually wants some sort of medical experience (paramedic, nursing or emt) before entry into their program and an NP even going straight through is 6 years. I am still a student but this is what i have learned about the 2 professions from my limted research. Anyone more experienced and educated on this subject care to share?

TazziRN, RN · Feb 4, 2006

If money is what you're interested in, this is the wrong field for you. Medicine is one of those professions where you have to love (or at the very least, like) what you're doing or you will NOT do it well and will end up killing someone.

naggytabby, BSN, RN · Feb 4, 2006

i am both- and i went to nursing school after being a pa to become a cnm. not medical school b/c ob is classified as a surgical subspecialty AND i want to be a midwife not a doctor. long story, short description

an rn and a pa, as a previous poster stated, are very different. you may want to talk with folks, in the area that you live/want to work in, and get their thoughts and personally investigate the definitions, depth and scope of practice for rn, np and pa. there are many differences across the country that i won't even begin to address. each state has a nurse practice act which would be helpful for the rn info as well. for the pa, you can also go to the aapa website.

i hope this was helpful- there are also tons of previous posts on all of this; just search and you'll be inundated with them:wink2:

enjoy!

aspentree13 · Feb 4, 2006

If money is what you're interested in, this is the wrong field for you. Medicine is one of those professions where you have to love (or at the very least, like) what you're doing or you will NOT do it well and will end up killing someone.

Okay so this post really pissed me off. I am not just interested in money, if I was I would be doing something else than what I am. I am currently a CNA, so if you want to talk about taking care of people for the least amount of money thats what a CNA does. The fact is that money is a part of everyones life, and if you don't consider that before you choose a future career your going to be in worlds of trouble.

aspentree13 · Feb 4, 2006

I also should have been a little bit more clear about where I am right now in school. I am going to graduate in May with 2 undergraduate degrees, in non medical fields. But I want to go on and do something in the medical field. I originally thought about becoming an MD, but don't think I could put in all those years. So I thought about becoming an RN and getting by BSN, there's accelerated programs here where I could be done in about 15 months. Or I could go into a PA program which would take about 24 months, so its relatively the same time to put in. I just wanted a little advice about which you would do.

Thanks

Trauma Columnist · Feb 4, 2006

What you might consider also is where you want to practice. In IL for instance, the nurse practice act is actually much kinder to APNs versus PAs.

Rose_RN,MSN · Feb 4, 2006

:twocents: Here is my 2 Cents...

I have been a nurse for 10 years and have my MSN. I have started questioning whether I want to become a NP, PA, or LNC...all three offer great posibilities. I think it depends in part what you LIKE doing...do you like being observed?/ do you need someone to bounce ideas off of?/ do you work better if the most responsibility rests on the MD? Then maybe PA...on the otherhand..If you like to work independently/ are self motivated/ and confident of your skills...then a NP might be for you...

My latest idea/career idea..is legal nurse consulting...I've been a nurse for 10 years and have experienced many fields of nursing/medicine...the thing that bugs me to death...is documentation that is ...less than par...things like this pop out at me! I'm thinking this might be my best fit!!

So, do what will make you happy because in the end that is what counts!!!

There are too many people in the world with a job they hate...bee happy!!

wincha · Feb 4, 2006

If money is what you're interested in, this is the wrong field for you. Medicine is one of those professions where you have to love (or at the very least, like) what you're doing or you will NOT do it well and will end up killing someone.

Why did you say this? This wasn't warranted. There is no reason not to make a choice between these 2. Actually in nursing the way to go for the best money is a nurse anesthetist. But it is a very difficult job. I didn't go into nursing to be Florence Nightingale. I already had a BA in another major and ended up going to nursing school It worked for me. I do enjoy the teaching side, the getting the patient better side( I worked surgery) there are many areas to look into. Actually if I were looking into it now I might go the PA side they do work normal working hours compared to nurses. I also think they are treated with more respect than nurses also not saying its right though.

wincha · Feb 4, 2006

I also should have been a little bit more clear about where I am right now in school. I am going to graduate in May with 2 undergraduate degrees, in non medical fields. But I want to go on and do something in the medical field. I originally thought about becoming an MD, but don't think I could put in all those years. So I thought about becoming an RN and getting by BSN, there's accelerated programs here where I could be done in about 15 months. Or I could go into a PA program which would take about 24 months, so its relatively the same time to put in. I just wanted a little advice about which you would do.
Thanks

I'd go with the PA its not that much longer and it would give you better hours and pay than an RN.

BlocDoc · Feb 4, 2006

:do you like being observed?/ do you need someone to bounce ideas off of?/ do you work better if the most responsibility rests on the MD? Then maybe PA...on the otherhand..If you like to work independently/ are self motivated/ and confident of your skills...then a NP might be for you...

I think your heart is in the right place with your post but I don't know that I agree with some of your perceptions. As a PA, the only "observation" that takes place is (granted) that my charts are co-signed. In that sense you are correct- However, that co-signature typically occurs days to weeks later. Please know that, however, that as I have my own medicare u-pin number and my care ia accepted by 70% of third party carriers, I bill direct and those notes require NO co-signature. In this case, the only observation that occurs is my physician partners seeing the revenue that I generate.

Second, after 25 years in medicine, I know of no one (reasonably intuitive and humble) that doesn't bounce things off of sombody though such "bouncing" is not required of a PA, at least in Pennsylvania where I have worked for the last 12 years. From a medicolegal perspective, it is actually a good idea to discuss more complicated cases as this offers a venue to consider another perspective that one might have overlooked, or to receive validation that one is thinking reasonably.

As to you perception that only NP's are (legalities aside) able to practice independently, with self-motivation and confident in their skills; well, you are certainly entitled to your opinion. Please know that I disagree as to the generality of this assertion.

The biggest problem with the written word is that one cannot hear the vocal tone, where the pauses in speech occur, nor the body language that is important to avoid misunderstanding what someone is writing (or in this case typing!) Therefore it is possible that I am mis-reading you entirely.

I became a PA for one reason: I wanted to preserve the total sub-specialty preparedness of my RN training that would later allow me to work in nearly every area of nursing, and train within that same construct as a medical provider. That decision has served me well. I went from internal med, to surgery to pain intervention and I am not aware of a NP track that would have given me this flexibility back in 1991. Maybe it is a "guy" thing, but I didn't know what area I wanted to work within so the PA model fit me.

I think all of the posts here are well considered and I am pleased to see it.

I think that the poser would do well to consider all of them.

Respectfully-

Matthew , RN, PA-c,MS.,D.Sc.

Acute and Chronic Pain Intervention