Nurse, Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant?

Which profession is best to go into? Can You give some details as to what responsibilities any profession entails.

To be a nurse (I am assuming you mean RN) you need to graduate from a nursing program. These program can be with Associate degree or Bachelor degree programs. After you graduate you have to pass the national boards to obtain a license. RNs can practice in the hospital, doctor's offices, nursing homes, home health agencies, among other places. Ususally you are working directly with patients. Most companies want you to have at least the Bachelor's degree to go into a management or leadership position.

To be a NP you have to be an RN and then go back to school to get your Master's degree (you would have to already have the Bachelor's degree.) It varies from state to state, but most NPs can see their own patients and write prescriptions and function very much like doctors. They always have to have a supervising MD to contact though.

PA programs vary. Some are Associate. Some are Bachelors. Some are Master's. You do not have to have a science or medical background to go into them, although some programs are very competitive are you might get in easier if you have this. They also can prescribe and function very much like doctors.

In my experience, PAs and NPs are used interchangably, but this may vary from state to state depending on how the license is set up in each state. Also, PA's and NPs are paid about the same.

That's it in a nutshell...

This is such a personal choice, no one else can make it for you.

Check on the incomes of each and time for the education.

I have a friend that is a P.A. and earns over
100 K per year.

Do some research.

a nurse practitioner makes the most money and has perscription writing privalages. you should do a bit more research about what they all entail and make a decision based off of that.

It depends on what you want to do.

Nurses can work in a variety of settings and can specialize in just about anything, but if you want to write prescriptions, or perform minor surgery, you need to be an NP or PA.

A nurse practitioner (NP) is a registered nurse with advanced academic and clinical experience, which enables him or her to diagnose and manage most common and many chronic illnesses, either independently or as part of a health care team. A nurse practitioner provides some care previously offered only by physicians and in most states has the ability to prescribe medications. Working in collaboration with a physician, a nurse practitioner provides high-quality, cost-effective and individualized care for the lifespan of patient's special needs.

Physician Assistants (PAs) are health care professionals who practice medicine under the supervision of a licensed physician. PAs provide physical exams, order and administer tests, make diagnoses, and treat illnesses. PAs work in a variety of settings including hospitals, long-term care facilities, and surgical centers. They are qualified to practice in over 60 specialty areas

Like Samm said it depends on which you prefer. I'm a registered nurse and love it. I could go back to school to be a nurse practitioner but I'm happy where I'm at. If you like making decisions for people and writing a script for medication then become a Physicians Assistant. To be a P.A. you will need a doctor who's willing to put his license on the line for you because everything you do a M.D. will have to approve of it.