Yes, I have worked with PA's and they can be a great help.

The first time I worked with a PA was at a teaching hospital. The PA was hired to help with newborn admissions, discharges and circumcisions. She was a great asset. Prior to bringing her on board, we had to depend on the residents to do these jobs and, because of their other responsibilities, it took forever to get anything done --- they didn't have the time.

I also worked for Kaiser Permanente, and they used PA's extensively in their Family Practice and Orthopedics clinics. Their primary responsibilities were to handle minor trauma (stitching up lacerations) and simple fractures. Once again, they were a great asset.

In my current job, there is a PA that comes manages residents in LTC facilities for an HMO. She does good job, but she's never been a nurse, and in this setting, that hurts. I'm certain that an NP would make better decisions.

As far as becoming one myself, the answer is no, I've never thought considered it, but that's true about becoming an NP. I think I would become bored with those jobs pretty quickly.

Gingersnap,

Thank you for responding.

I am curious though, why do you think you would get bored being a PA or NP? I would think their job would be pretty diverse and the hours would be better.

Denise

We use FNP's and PA's in our "Fast Track" section in ER and they are great. ER pts. are triaged and given a severity rating of 1(minor) to 4 (critical). Level 1 and 2 pts. are seen by the FNP's / PA's and in my opinion are given better attention (and medical care) than if they were being seen by an MD who is preoccupied with the gun shot victim in the next room over.

If I didn't hate school (not education, just the friggen system) so much I believe I would have gone for my FNP. Although there is nothing wrong with PA's, FNP's have more autonomy, more prescription and procedure authority, and can open their own private practices.

The money is not bad either. One of the FNP's i work with let it slip (after a few shots of tequila) that he makes "a little over 100 grand a year" for his 3-12 hour shifts a week. Now what he didn't say is that by the time he does his dictation, I'm betting his work week is closer to 50 hours.

In any event I think either a PA or FNP license is a great career move, and I can attest to the fact that they are valued members in the medical community..

Their hours might be better. It depends on where they work. If they work for a hospital, then their schedules are like ours, because hospitals need coverage 24/7.

As far as diversity, that depends on where you work. An ER might provide a lot of diversity. But stitching up lacerations day after day after day in a minor trauma clinic would get old. If you end up doing women's health, then it's day after day after day of pelvic exams and prenatal workups. The faces change, but the tasks become pretty routine. Personally, I've always been happiest when I can vary my work assignments.

And there is also the issue of liability and responsibility. I recently read about a lawsuit in town against a PA at our local Children's Hospital. The PA was being sued for "falsely" accusing a father of molesting his children and the father won. So you have to be prepared to face as much legal liability as an MD.