Any pros or cons on PAs or Nps?
Any pros or cons on PAs or Nps?
Yeah, it doesn't take as much education to become a PA and damned if they don't get paid more $$ and treated with more respect too.
Ahh, last time I checked, the majority of US PA programs were master's programs and required a 4 year degree, healthcare expereience, and a GRE for admission consideration.Originally Posted by medi
The remainder of PA programs that are 4 yr degrees are highly competitive and non-degreed people are usually weeded out for people with previosly earned BS degrees and healthcare expereience.
As far as money, its a national trend to be paid by location, and postition (surgery, ER, ortho surgery and specialty positions are paid more than others in primary care, non surgical/hospital positions). California and East Coast pay more than midwest and southern locations or locations of popular living like Colorado. That said, a primary care NP in CO or WI will likely make less than the same position in Cali or NY. They will also make less than any surgical or hospital based mid level. It may be that NP's are more prominent in primary care, hence the lower pay, but I've not seen any comparison statistics on that.
Hey... We're nurse here.. I would recommend NP for several reasons. And I am all for the money that Sara is talking about but............ As an NP in many states you can have your own practice and I believe NP's are gaining recognition albeit slowly.. And with a good nursing background I believe they give superior care..JMFHO
WR,,, three commas for Becca
The name's changed but I will always be WinidingRoad
A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and sings it back to you when you have forgotten how it goes.
Well, as a nurse it was natural for me to choose NP over PA.
I've asked docs about both. Some prefer PAs "they are trainged by DR and don't have to unlearn all of that nurse stuff" Others prefer NP as they have more training. I guess it's a personla preference for them too.
However, I have a friend in an NP program, has a year left and he's already been offered 3 jobs by different docs who work in the ER where he's currently practicing.
Sorry, no definative answer!
I hate to be "inflammatory" - BUT - I am an educator who has worked with nurses at all levels of their educational journey. I have also worked with PAs. All one really has to do is look at the "titles": nurse PRACTITIONER and Physician ASSISTANT. That ought to tell you the difference right away.
I have never met a PA who, in all innocence, hasn't been given the "impression" (yes - very often by their university division) that they are "better than" NPs. After 20+ years of educating both, I have to tell you that NPs are hands-down-far-and-away more competent than 99% of the PAs who are out there today. In fact, some of the PA programs I have seen scare me to death. The general public has no CLUE what the difference is, nor how to protect themselves. To tell you the truth, the only PA I would trust is one of those "old guys" who was a medic in Viet Nam.
I agree with you. And those medics are getting old. I know I've dated a couple..But wait, that's another story,,, for another day.
Nursing is not only a science but an art. It's the art of taking care of someone when they can't or won't. It's being there when you are needed. That's what makes it an art. The science part is important but cold sometimes. And unyielding without "proof". Nursing is sometimes a gut feeling, a "I can't put my finger on it, I can't prove it, I just know it" process.
I read once, maybe here even, that PA's are just interns for life.. LOLL If that's the case why bother.
I met one of the most sauvy Nephrology NP's I ever encountered in NC on a travel assignment..And ya know what set her apart. It was her nursing skills and the fact that we spoke the same "language" and had the same goals for our patients. Yes, she "outranked" me by a "degree" but you'd never know it.
JMHO
WR,,, three commas for Becca
Re: Nursing is not only a science but an art.
The difference between a nurse or NP - and a PA or even a physician - begins when the door to the examination room opens. By the time the nurse or NP covers the distance from the door to the patient, he or she is already well into their assessment. On the other hand, I would venture to guess that the PA (and even sometimes the physician) rarely looks up from the chart during a patient visit - and may be unable to even describe the patient within minutes after ending the visit. If I'm the patient - won't somebody PLEASE get me an NP??? LOL
I read once, maybe here even, that PA's are just interns for life.. LOLL If that's the case why bother.
Had to laugh on that one. SO TRUE!!! Unfortunately, many of them "secretly" believe they are physicians... and THAT is NOT a "good thing"...
I had to laugh when I was in NC. In a predominantly black area.. Don't slam me this is no racist. One day I was the only white person in the unit..And some of the tech were talking "trash" and I told a patient they don't think I understand but I do..LOLL
Now we did have several probably less than 10 out of 60 patients who are white. We sent one of them to the surgeon for a fistula placement.. I swear to God his first sentence on the H&P was.. "This Afro American male is well known to me"....How's that for assesment skills..
When I had 3 major vessels DVT the radiologist told the US tech that I did not have ANY clots.. Per radiograph. My leg of course was purple, positive Homan's ( although that is a ?able assessment) and swollen twice it's size, I was on a stretcher in the hallway listening to him argue with the tech..I yelled out how about looking at the clinical picture......
I love it when docs make their rounds and want to raise someone's dry weight on their present BP and the cuff ain't even on their arm...Sorry for the ain't part. I'm just a nurse..
I'll get down now..
WR,,, three commas for Becca
When I was initially dx'd with hypertenison a PA put me on a calcium channel blocker...Had to tell him that's not the first line of defense....HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
Boy, your responses keep getting better and better scott... kind of think you are the one that thinks you're a physician.. not the PA's.. Anyway, I was actually trained to take a complete history, and perform a physical exam w/o using a chart or taking notes... we PAs don't need charts during the patient interview.. maybe you should follow some around sometime.. and yes, I can observe body languange for signs of pain, nausea, not feeling well, or nervousness as I "enter the room" without my chart!
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