RN before PA?

[berlfe03]

Hello all, I am new to this forum and wanted to get some feedback from Pa's or RN's. Currently, I have only attained an AA in liberal arts. I do not have any experience in healthcare. I do want to go on to receive a bachelor's degree, and possibly be a PA someday. I have contacted a couple universites that have a PA program and was suprised to find out that I could get a bacherlor's in anything, it does not have to be related to healthcare. My question is, would it make sense for me to get a BSN and get some experience before I try to become a PA, or should I just get a degree I can get into and over with quickly and apply asap? Currently there is a one to two year wait to get into the nursing program, so that is part of my dilemma. So, to all former RN's who are now PA's, did you find that being a nurse first really helped you be a good PA, or do you think it didn't help you much? Also I was told I could just volunteer to get experience, but would that be adequte enough exposure? Any comments or advice would be very appreciated.

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[deleted6669]

Hello all, I am new to this forum and wanted to get some feedback from Pa's or RN's. Currently, I have only attained an AA in liberal arts. I do not have any experience in healthcare. I do want to go on to receive a bachelor's degree, and possibly be a PA someday. I have contacted a couple universites that have a PA program and was suprised to find out that I could get a bacherlor's in anything, it does not have to be related to healthcare. My question is, would it make sense for me to get a BSN and get some experience before I try to become a PA, or should I just get a degree I can get into and over with quickly and apply asap? Currently there is a one to two year wait to get into the nursing program, so that is part of my dilemma. So, to all former RN's who are now PA's, did you find that being a nurse first really helped you be a good PA, or do you think it didn't help you much? Also I was told I could just volunteer to get experience, but would that be adequte enough exposure? Any comments or advice would be very appreciated.

you can get a degree in anmything as long as you still fulfill all the prereqs( bio/chem/psych, etc)
it is very much to your advantage to have prior experience before pa school. it will make you a better applicant and a better pa. it doesn't have to be rn( although that is fine). it could also be resp. therapist, emt, medical asst, etc
the better programs do not accept volunteer hrs to count as clinical experience. most want paid clinical experience.I was a paramedic before pa school and it put me way ahead of those with minimal experience.
see www.physicianassistant.net for a pa specific forum

 

[fab4fan]

If you don't intend to be a nurse, get your degree in something that will translate well to PA. As you've found, the waiting lists to get into nursing programs are lengthy; just a personal bias, but I'd hate to see someone take a slot in a nursing program if that person had no intention of being a nurse. That's taking a spot away from someone who does want to be a nurse.

As much as I hate to admit it, if you did get in and then told your nursing profs. that you were going that route to become a PA, you would be dead meat.

 

[deleted6669]

If you don't intend to be a nurse, get your degree in something that will translate well to PA. As you've found, the waiting lists to get into nursing programs are lengthy; just a personal bias, but I'd hate to see someone take a slot in a nursing program if that person had no intention of being a nurse. That's taking a spot away from someone who does want to be a nurse.

As much as I hate to admit it, if you did get in and then told your nursing profs. that you were going that route to become a PA, you would be dead meat.

what if you told them you were going to stanford or uc davis for the dual pa/np cert program. as an rn that seems like the best of both worlds, get both certs and work using the one most utilized in your area, changing as often as you like.....

 

[fab4fan]

That's a program that's already been worked out, so I imagine the faculty would not be an issue. I'm just saying that someone who gets into a regular nursing program and then tells the faculty it's a stepping stone to becoming a PA is probably going to be in for a rough road, particularly if there's a "wait list" for that program.

 

[deleted6669]

That's a program that's already been worked out, so I imagine the faculty would not be an issue. I'm just saying that someone who gets into a regular nursing program and then tells the faculty it's a stepping stone to becoming a PA is probably going to be in for a rough road, particularly if there's a "wait list" for that program.

no, you misunderstood...what I meant was what if you told your bsn faculty that the only reson you were getting a bsn/rn was to apply for these dual cert midlevel programs.....would they be 1/2 pleased because you were going to be an np and also 1/2 pissed because you were going to be a pa

 

[fab4fan]

Probably.

 

[berlfe03]

Emed, thank you for the info. Fab4fan, I did not even think about taking away a spot from a nursing student. Thanks for pointing that out, I would not want to do that.

 

[hospPA]

That's a program that's already been worked out, so I imagine the faculty would not be an issue. I'm just saying that someone who gets into a regular nursing program and then tells the faculty it's a stepping stone to becoming a PA is probably going to be in for a rough road, particularly if there's a "wait list" for that program.

When I did it, I told them and the good ones said "good for you". I guess it depends on where you go. The "don't touch patients, write papers on handwashing" folks may not be happy for you but the reasonable one's should be. Being an NP or a PA is not a "universal" choice, and one should not be persecuted for making a decision either way. I realize that some will, however. A bachelor's degree is often a stepping stone, why should this be different?

Being an RN and a PA has helped me tremendously. The nurses seem to respond to me better, having "been there". I would not discourage one from doing what you propose. It's also an easy way to make mass cash without much thinking (no offense to nurses, I only mean certain RN jobs). For example, I can make quite a bit as a pool nurse with MUCH less responsibility than doing that as a PA on the weekends for extra cash.

Pat, PA-C, MPAS, RN

 

[fab4fan]

Pat: I may have misunderstood your previous posts, but I thought you'd been a nurse for a while before you decided to become a PA, not that you went to nursing school as a stepping stone to a PA.

JMO, with waitlists what they are I still think it's a shame to take a spot away from someone who wants to be a nurse. And before someone asks, I'm equally dyspeptic about people who go straight through nursing school->NP.

I'm glad you were supported by your colleagues. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't criticize a fellow nurse for deciding to become a PA instead of an NP. Everyone's different.

 

[hospPA]

Pat: I may have misunderstood your previous posts, but I thought you'd been a nurse for a while before you decided to become a PA, not that you went to nursing school as a stepping stone to a PA.


I'm glad you were supported by your colleagues. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't criticize a fellow nurse for deciding to become a PA instead of an NP. Everyone's different.

Stepping stone is the wrong word, I decided to go to PA school while I was in nursing school. I was an ER tech during nursing school in the ER, and did many of the things one would consider "nursing" (EKG's, splints, dressings, wound preps, teaching, etc.). I worked as an EMT/firefighter for 2 years as well. I learned from the nurses that I needed a bit more. What that "more" was, I wasn't sure initially. I decided that regardless of what I wanted to do, finishing nursing school first was the best option. It turns out that it was.

I finished because I was already there, I am not sure if I would have done the same thing had I decided on PA school before nursing school. I agree with you that it may be too difficult to be reasonably used as a stepping stone (wait lists, etc.).

You're right, everyone's different. I am actually considering putting the scrubs back on as a pool RN here and there. I did like it, and need to do something different than my "8 to 5". My mind can't take any more or that in a week

Pat

 

[fab4fan]

Ahhh..that explains a lot.

Were you thinking of pulling a shift in the ED?

 

[hospPA]

Ahhh..that explains a lot.

Were you thinking of pulling a shift in the ED?

Heck no! That place makes me nauseous

I am not sure, maybe something rally easy like an alzheimer's unit at a nursing home. I used to do a bit of that during PA school. Low key, minimal stress, and actually a lot of fun.

Pat