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Difference Between a Nurse Practitioner and Practitioner Assistant

Difference between a nurse practitioner and physician assistant:

It is the most common question asked in the field of health care. Both nurse practitioner and physician assistant are considered the most likely same terms because there are some similarities between the two but there is a big difference between both the fields. So, following are some key differences between both the fields:

NP vs. PA

Nurse practitioner

Physician assistant

They study the specific nursing subjects and attend the nursing schools. They have to get the master's or doctoral degree and pass the exam to get the certificate. They are a little higher in rank as compared to common nurses.

They study the medical and attend the medical schools. They have to get the master's degree and it's mandatory for them to pass the exam of the Physician Assistant National Certification Exam(PANCE). 

The nurse practitioners are trained to look after the patients for a long term. They need to motivate the patients and help in their recovery who are suffering from chronic diseases. They make long-term health plans and provide proper guidance to the patients. In fact, they are more patient centered. 

The physician assistants are trained to work with the physicians in the treatment of the patients. They are more concerned with the treatment than with the counseling of the patients. They work to identify the cause and remedy for the disease. It can be said that they are more disease-centered. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NP vs. PA

Nurse practitioner:

A nurse practitioner is an advanced practice registered nurse.A nurse practitioner is more than a common nurse but is less than a physician. They can recommend medicine to the patients. They are free to check the patients. The practitioner nurses are trained to look after the patients thoroughly. They do the diagnosis and plan the long treatment plans in which they study the patients. It means they look after their physical, psychological and inner conditions. They are like a guardian angel of the patients and motivate them and their families. check also, how to achieve work life balance, try 7 ways.

They carry out the treatment and give the mandatory care and medicine to the patients. 

To become a nurse practitioner it is necessary:

  • To get the master's degree(MSN) or doctoral degree(DNP)

  • The nurse practitioner can choose the field in which she/he wants  to work. Students must research the field first to take a better step 

  • After that, to get the license, the nurse practitioner clears NCLEX-RN. 

  • It takes about 5 to 6 years to be a professional nurse practitioner.

NP vs. PA

Physician assistant:

Physician assistants work along with the physicians. They are concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of the patients. They help in their recovery and are qualified to treat the respected disease. The treatment of the patients is considered to be handled by them as well as the physicians. They have to get the basic and gripped education in their respective field. Following is the route to become physician assistant:

  • They have to get the bachelor or master level study in their field.

  • They study medicals in their schools. The competition is quite tough and it's not easy to get admission.

  • Their training is another tough thing. They have to work 30000 hours in total to have the experience and get the  certificates.

So, it's not easy to get any type of your dream profession. You have to work hard enough to compete with others. The only way to pass out is consistency and hard work. check out, follow 9 tips for a successful interview.

Why do you want to be a PA:

Being a physician assistant is a plus point in your side.you can work like a doctor among the classified doctors. They are paid very well  and get a bonus if they work overtime. They don't have to wait for the doctors to recommend medicine. They can recommend medicine and check the patients. One of the important fact is that you don't have to study hard to get the job like doctors have to work too hard. You can just get your 4 years degree and 25 months on the job training and 2 years rotation. Being a physician assistant gives you leadership qualities too in the absence of the doctors. check out, 7 reasons why workplace safety is important.

NP vs. PA:

As discussed above, both of the professions require the master's degree to get other certificates. It's not easy to get qualified as NP or PA. Nurse practitioners are considered important but physician assistants have got a higher level than them. Because they work with the certified and approved physicians, they have more experience and can handle the work of both NP and PA. They are more likely to be able in charge of the work a physician does. They have to clear more tough and approved exam. So, being a student, if you don't know which way to go, what to choose, just know that both the degrees are worth your effort. Both require the same qualifications and you have to clear the exam in both the fields. 

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