When did you "know?"

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Specializes in Coronary Care.

Hey everyone...so I just graduated from the University of North Carolina in May and have already submitted my apps to physician assistant schools. I am currently working as a CNA in an assisted living facility. I have to admit that going into the job I thought I was going to hate it and was just working there to gain my patient contact hours for PA school. However, I have found the opposite! I absolutely love talking with the patients, helping them, and seeing their smiles of gratitude. Of course there are a handful that make me want to walk right out...but there are many that make me love the job. I have had so many residents tell me how much they appreciate me, how kind and nice I am, and even tell me they love me and don't want me to leave them. Because of this I am starting to wonder if nursing is my calling...just because I have such an ease with the patients (not trying to sound arrogant, but I truly feel that I have the personality to make a wonderful nurse). So what do you guys think? When did you really know that is what you wanted to do? And out of curiosity, how much more patient contact does the RN get vs. the CNA? I feel that as a PA I would only get to be in and out and not truly connect with the patient and be there with them whenever they needed me. HELP and advice please and thank you!

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For me, nursing isn't a calling, it's a job.

If I were younger, I'd go the mid-level route or the CRNA route... primarily for work conditions and/or money.

I certainly get time with patients but mostly I'm hustling my heinie off to keep up with the never-ending treadmill-of-tasks that pop up.

You sound like you're in the 'honeymoon phase' and I'm guessing that'll wear off after a while.

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Specializes in Coronary Care.

Well I definitely would want to go mid-level, most likely my DNP...but anyways...thanks for the tidbit.

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Since you have already graduated, and have been employed as a CNA, I would think you should have a better idea of your comfort zone. I know how you felt about AL/LTC. I was scared about doing my clinicals there, but ended up really enjoying it! Our residents made similar comments to me. They acted and said how much it helped them having me just be nice to them, and listen for a few minutes. The Rns I have seen at the places I was at never really got the one-on-one time with pts like CNAs do. The PAs had even less time. I am sure there are certain places you could have more contact like it seems you are looking for.

p.s. Youre right near me! Good luck!

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Specializes in Coronary Care.

Thanks shorti! What places are you referring to about seeing RNs not having much contact? And awesome..are you in the triangle area? Oh and another issue is that I am registered for ochem in the fall for PA prereqs...and If I decide nursing I can withdrawal from the course and save hundreds of dollars and my sanity!

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Specializes in Coronary Care.

Anyone else have input?

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Specializes in Home Health.

From the age of 10 to the first semester of college I thought I wanted to be a surgeon, or cardiologist. Then, about a month into college as a biology major with a pre-med concentration, we had an assignment for our biology lab that consisted of us counting bees on various kinds of plants for data collection. It was then that I decided to switch over to the nursing major because they start working in the hospitals with patients as soon as they're in the program. I had no idea what I was doing, but when I had my first set of patients to care for I knew that being a nurse was what I was meant to do, and what I had wanted to do all along. I've received the same compliments from patients and seen how much they appreciated the care I provided for them, but I was only able to spend as much time with them as I had because I was a student. RNs don't get that same amount of time with their patients, though it is still more than that of PAs and MDs. I know I'm a bit biased, but I say go for your RN. There are so many routes and possibilities in the nursing field.

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Specializes in Coronary Care.

Thanks for the input..I do realize the CNAs will get the most patient contact, but realize the PA route will provide even less than RN. The only issue is that I know with PA I can easily switch specialties, but with NP (if I went down that route) I am in one area unless I wanna go back to school. It is definitely something to think about, as I would find out about about nursing admissions in November and start in January if admitted, which I may or may not know about PA admissions yet. Then there is the issue that if I decide to pursue nursing, I should drop the organic chem class for the fall as it would be a total waste of money and time. I just cant shake the feeling...but I have been known to change my mind about which career...from md/do to nursing and NP to pa, etc. ...I am afraid if I drop from the PA admissions process that I will regret it and want to change back or something.

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Specializes in Trauma/Surgery ICU.

See about shadowing a nurse in a different setting (maybe acute or critical care). I shadowed a respiratory therapist for a day during nursing school and her assignment happened to be in a CVICU. I liked the feel of the floor, so I applied for an externship at the hospital and went back to that ICU. That experience let me get my foot in the door to the SICU as a new grad. The point I'm trying to make is that it helps to actually see what an RN does first hand. Nursing is dynamic. Some jobs have a lot of patient interaction, while it's limited in other areas. It all depends on where you go. And my two cents for your dilemma: becoming an RN would allow you to get a feel for where you want to work as a mid-level. You could become an NP later on anyway (it's practically interchangeable with PA). Plus, a lot of programs will let you transfer your non-nursing credits to your MSN.

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Specializes in Home Health.

Great suggestion arnwest! Shadow a PA as well, so you can see both choices and make the decision that is best for you.

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Specializes in Coronary Care.

Yea I have been shadowing a PA, now if I could find a RN to shadow that would probably help as well. Thanks everyone!

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I was referring to LTC/AL. You mentioned that was the place you worked at that started to get you leaning towards nursing. That is the only personal experience I have as a student. I start nursing this Fall. I have only completed CNA, that is where my experience comes from. I have a lot of family who are either nurses or in the medical field. They all work at Duke or UNC. Though they love their jobs they all say they dont get the kind of one-on-one time that I mentioned I loved during clinicals at LTC/AL. I am not sure but seeing how the PA at our LTC facility did not get a lot of in depth time with the pts I dont see a PA in the hospital getting more.

Of course I see myself in nursing in one form or another without a doubt. I have a lot of goals that are all based off of nursing, so I know what I want, but no one can know what you want other than you. I would try to think where you want to be 5, 10 and 15 years down the road. Maybe thinking about it this way would help, what one would you regret more? Not doing nursing or not doing PA.

I recently had to decide if I wanted to go ahead and become an IBCLC, or start nursing first. Posing the question to myself that way helped me decide I would regret not doing nursing more than LC. I am just north of Durham. If you go the nursing route maybe Ill see you around! Good luck in your decision!

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