Whats your feeling of future education for nurse

Nurses General Nursing

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I am a PA and my daughter is completing her RN to BSN. Her future goals include graduate school either to NP or PA school. I have worked along side physicians, PA's , and NP's and don't appreciate a real world difference in what we do. I advised her to seek either PA or NP and to go on to a fellowship if desired.

My questions is for all the nurses with time to answer. My nurses I work with only work with PA's so they don't have much experience with NP's. My daughter has asked many floor nurses what they would do if they went on to grad school. Across the board the reply has been to go to PA school as opposed to NP. I am a PA and don't see why this would be the case. I see an NP at my specialists office and wouldn't see anyone else. I would appreciate any thoughts you have as I can't answer this question. The importance comes in regards to completing a different set of prerequisites which equals time and money for college.

Thank you

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

My thoughts:

There are many NP programs these days that (in my opinion) are insufficient for producing a competent provider -- particularly online for-profit programs who have a vested interest in quantity over quality. I just Googled curricula, and the first one that popped up (NOT a for profit) had a whopping 9 credits in advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and assessment. The entire program is 40 credits. I don't know, but 9 credits seems awfully low... does one REALLY need more nursing theory, health policy, professional development, etc. over advanced patho, pharm, and diagnosing? To me, that sounds scary.

PA programs from my understand are quite competitive. CRNA programs are as well, requiring ICU RN experience and accepting few people. One of my area's programs typically receive hundreds of applications for 30 seats -- so they accept only the best and brightest applicants. Not so with FNP programs.

From what I gather from experienced NPs, programs were very rigorous at one time. Now a new grad can go straight from BSN graduation to NP school. If s/he doesn't work as an RN during the NP program, s/he is supposedly hopping straight from no practice to advanced practice. :no:

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Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

Nursing education needs more clinical components

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