PA vs NP

[EMEDPA]

SOME np programs are better than others. don't know if there is a ranking system but those with > 1000 hrs of clinicals probably produce better grads than those with 500 hrs. I think there might be some that go as high as 1500 hrs.

I have always heard good things about ucsf grads and have worked with several fine u.wa grads(they were both prior icu nurses for more than a decade- one is now a fnp/crna making bank).

[andersenpa]

what do you mean by, "dont believe the hype?"... dont drink the nursing coolaid?

 

Exactly. I think you mentioned that you visit allnurses as well. Read the common thinking coming out of NP students and young NPs over there.

I know that the verbal minority do not necessarily represent the majoirty, but this misinformation has to be coming from somewhere. If you go on to your NP you have the opportunity to be a voice for PAs on that side. Whether it's the sheer ignorance of the nursing ranks (see here), the assertion that nursing has some holy providence over "holistic treatment", or the generalized anti-"Medicine" dogma, there is alot of nursing philosophy and theory that is mixed in with propaganda.

 

Tread lightly.

[mila22]

That is a pretty easy question, I never had any desire to become a nurse. I never had any interest in most of the classes they take and none in the work that they do. Hence, why I chose PA over NP. I think the more difficult chose for most pa students was pa vs md/do.

[alleycat]

In southern Illinois, a rural and economically challenged area, we have an NP hospitalist for night coverage, and we also have PACs working in the ER days and nights, with two docs . I think it probably depends on what type of region you are in as to whether or not one can work in any practice. I also worked inpatient psych with a FPNP. I asked about the FP issue and was told (so this is third or fourth hand info), that if a collaborating doc is willing to let their NP work under supervision of a specialty doc for 3 years, those years of experience can be substituted for that last year of the NP degree, without having to return to NP program to "re-choose" an area of practice. that FPNP continues to work inpt and outpt psych. I any NPs have a more accurate assessment , I would be happy to be educated more about your profession. (no disrespect intended)