The best male field

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What is the best area for a male nurse, financially speaking, to pursue? What are your thoughts on becoming a Nurse Practitioner?

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

From what I've seen, we're well appreciated. Of course, I have heard worse outside of Tex Med Center. My thing though, since I am also hispanic, is that I have been more appreciated by hispanic patients at Ben Taub. The common thing I hear is that its great to see a hispanic male "make something of himself" other than joining a gang, dropping out of school, or just becoming a bum. Yet, not one of them question me on my decision of becoming a nurse.

Now, I do plan on going for my ACNP after HCC nursing school. I don't see a reason NOT to go for nurse practitioner.

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Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

Males are a small minority in the nurse practitioner field. Men only make up 8% of all NP's based on survey results released by Advance for Nurse Practitioners in 2007. The same article also quoted that nurse practitioners on average are paid an annual salary of $81,397 in 2007. However, male NP's are paid higher wages averaging $88,490 annually versus female NP's who average $80,755 a year.

CRNA's, by far are still the highest paid among advanced practice nurses. The CRNA field is also the only nursing specialization where males outnumber females. Based on an employment and compensation survey for CRNA's by LocumTenens.com in 2007, the average annual salary for CRNA's was $178,084. Male CRNA's make an average of $196,314 a year as opposed to female CRNA's who make an average of $159,536 a year. Males make up 52% of all CRNA's.

I am a male nurse practitioner. I chose the nurse practitioner field not as much for the financial benefit but more for the appeal of being able to practice as a health care provider with the ability to diagnose and carry prescripitive priviledge. I enjoy following patients from admission to discharge and value the patient interaction that goes along with managing the health care of patients. I also love the acute care setting and the challenge of the critical care field and that is the field where I currently practice now. With five years of experience as an NP, I feel that I am financially rewarded enough with a six figure annual salary.

These are the sources for the figures I quoted above:

http://nurse-practitioners.advanceweb.com/editorial/content/editorial.aspx?ctiid=758

http://www.crnajobs.com/crna-careers/2007-CRNA-comp-results.pdf

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I read that they are starting to transition CRNA from masters to doctors by 2015. How difficult was it to get into your CRNA program? If all goes as planned, Ill have my BSN by fall 2011. Will 4 years be enough to dodge the degree hike?

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Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.
I read that they are starting to transition CRNA from masters to doctors by 2015. How difficult was it to get into your CRNA program? If all goes as planned, Ill have my BSN by fall 2011. Will 4 years be enough to dodge the degree hike?

I am not sure if you are responding to my post but I am a nurse practitioner, not a CRNA. If you are thinking about a career as a CRNA, you should be good to go with just a master's degree by the time you are ready for that stage in your future nursing career. The position statement by the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists indicate support for doctoral education as entry to CRNA practice by 2025 and not 2015. The year 2015 is being proposed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing for mandating doctoral education as entry to advanced practice nursing fields. This is still a proposal at this time and the date is not carved in stone. Just remember that CRNA programs require 1-2 years of critical care experience as a Registered Nurse.

Source: http://www.aana.com/uploadedFiles/Members/Membership/Resources/dtf_posstatemt0707.pdf

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My mistake. Thanks for the clarification on both subjects.

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for the money i'd say crna but it isn't practicle for everyone, i would say getting your masters and getting into managment seems an easier route, I am constantly told that i need to get my bsn because males move up fast.

I work in the O.R. and i love it cap here is about 80 for salary rn assistant managers are 80 - 100 i think and i'm not sure on the managers or director

Though working in the o.r. i talked with a couple of the p.a.'s and they say it is a waste to go for your p.a. if you are already a nurse just get your masters and you can do the same thing they do and have more versatility with it.

personaly i have intrest in becoming a msn that does surgical p.a. work.

ie: helping with surgical procedures and orders and rounding

here at MD anderson the p.a's are salary though so as are most msn level and that means no overtime no matter how long you work, which i think is a major draw back.

my two cents =)

crna all the way if you can, if not msn and a lot of options

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Specializes in DNAP Student.
I read that they are starting to transition CRNA from masters to doctors by 2015. How difficult was it to get into your CRNA program? If all goes as planned, Ill have my BSN by fall 2011. Will 4 years be enough to dodge the degree hike?

2025 as mentioned by previous poster. There are 2 DNAP programs (VCU and Wesleyan) and one DMPNA (West Virginia). A few DNPs (TCU,U of Pitsburg). visit http://www.aana.com and look for accredited programs so far there are 108 and growing... Each school has different admission criteria... and yes, it is very competitive.

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CRNA my friend. You can't get better than that.

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