Registered nurse vs physician assistant

the experience requirements (and other academic requirements) for NP programs are highly variable. ... Except there's a universal requirement of a BSN. There's no equivalent requirement for PAs, hence the clinical requirements. Many NP programs also have clinical requirements, but given the clinical experience inherent in the BSN, there is some variability there. NP programs do not have a universal requirement of a BSN. I believe they universally require a bachelor's degree in something, but there are definitely DNP and MSN degree programs that will earn you an NP license that are specifically geared towards people who have a bachelor's degree in something other than nursing. They tend to spend the first 18-24 months getting you to the point where you take the NCLEX exam to become an RN, and then you work as an RN while you finish the doctorate or master's program to become an NP. Honestly the level of independence in each career and the requirements for entry to school programs are so different depending on what state you're in, you'd really get better information by checking into the practice acts for the state(s) where you'd be willing to work and the admission requirements for programs in your area.

I was going to say that your decision should be between being a Nurse Practioner and a PA, not an RN and a PA. I think that's been said.

The basic distinction between the NP and PA credentials is that PAs do less school and get paid more. No, really. PA programs are pretty uniformly three years. NP programs are increasingly doctoral rather than masters programs, and take up to five. Yet PAs pretty consistently make more than NPs do, across disciplines and locations. NPs do more primary care than PAs tend to, and an NP doing primary care can be significantly more independent than most PAs. Some NPs basically run their own primary care practices, basically checking in with their "supervising" MD every few weeks. But PAs are the ones doing the more technical, specialized stuff, which is another reason they tend to get paid better. They do more in-patient work, whereas NPs tend to be more outpatient, on the whole. These are merely tendencies, obviously, but they are tendencies nonetheless. So it's less a question of which credential provides more satisfaction. It's a question of what you want to do and which credential will let you do more of it.

I have a bachelor's degree in nursing. I am a Registered Nurse. RNs do not medically diagnose. So, if you want to medically diagnose, do not become an RN. RNs do not independently treat. They follow doctor's orders. If you can get in to PA school, go for it. Aim high. My RN degree has served me well but physician's assistants make more money and garner more respect, in my opinion. Good luck.

I'm not familiar with the field, but doesn't nursing school beyond a bachelors mean a Nurse Practitioner, which is ranked higher than an RN?

You can get into NP school with a BS in bio np. I would go that route and aim for a DNP instead of just a straight FNP or some other NP. There are more opportunities there than for a PA. To answer ribboncake: no, not really. If you want to be an RN and have a degree in something else you can do a bridge program where you just do nursing classes/clinicals rather than the whole four year program, but you can definitely go from some other BS degree into a BSN.

There are master's degrees in nursing other than NPs. There arehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_nurse_specialist, there is a Master's of Science in Nursing Education, etc. NPs complete special training to become NPs. It's a specific field of study. Yes, a Nurse Practitioner is ranked higher than an RN. They work collaboratively with a physician (at least in my state of Florida) and can medically diagnose and treat.

You asked about satisfaction. It's not even close: PA school is a much better option than being either a nurse practitioner OR even a primary-care doctor IF you can get in - there's less schooling, more pay, and more prestige/respect than in the female-dominated field of nursing (gah, patriarchy). Don't know the OP's gender. According to http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/07/is-medical-school-a-worthwhile-investment-for-women/260051/, the average female primary-care physician would have been financially better off becoming a physician assistant. Sounds crazy, but it's true. The median salary for a PA right out of school is approximately $86k/yr. The training to become a PA is much cheaper than medical school AND/OR a PhD program in nursing, etc. In addition, PAs begin to earn money earlier than doctors, who have many years of low paid internships after school. Money earned earlier in life is worth more than money earned later in life, because of returns on investment. In order to pay off that education and training investment, doctors need to work harder and earn more money later. If being a PA is even more satisfying than being a primary-care MD, then I would probably forget all about being a nurse practitioner and go with the PA option for its lower cost of entry and higher return on educational investment.

I was kind of researching the same thing awhile back. From my understanding both jobs are mid-level clinician roles, with the PA getting a more medical based training and the NP getting a more holistic training (more of the psycho-social, patient centered aspect). So it would be up to you how you would like to be trained, but I believe after a few years on the job, the work experience and your own persona would counterbalance or supplement whatever training received. I do know with a Masters of Nursing in Science, you can teach clinicals. Also, my friend told me at her GI clinic, that the PA got replaced by a more experienced NP since NPs get paid a little lesser than PAs and that benefited he clinic. And that NPs have more independence. I believe this all depends on where you work and what type of setting, but it's something to think about. It is my opinion that both of them do the same thing if the setting is a doctor's office. I don't have more information, but perhaps you can go to http://allnurses.com and type in a search for NP vs PA school. Here is one thread: http://allnurses.com/nursing-career-advice/np-pa-school-7402.html