Nurse practitioner or physician assistant? Are you confused between the two? Well, we have a comprehensive guide for you to explain the difference between a nurse practitioner vs physician assistant. So, it is easy for you to choose the career that suits you the best.
What is a Nurse Practitioner?
A nurse practitioner is a registered nurse who provides direct patient care and can work in different settings such as hospitals, clinics, etc. They can work independently and can prescribe medications.
What is a Physician Assistant?
A physician assistant is a healthcare professional who provides direct patient care under the supervision of a doctor. They also work in different healthcare settings such as clinics, hospitals, outpatient care centers, etc.
Difference between Nurse practitioner vs Physician Assistant
Here, we will discuss the difference between NP vs PA. Their roles, educational requirements, and more.
Educational requirements:
Nurse practitioner:
- Get a BSN (Bachelor of Science) or ADN (Associate Degree in Nursing) degree.
- Pass the NCLEX exam to get a registered nurse license.
- Get MSN (Master of Science in Nursing) or DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice)
- Clinical training involves 500 to 1000 clinical hours.
- Get your certification in your Nurse practitioner specialty area through accredited certified body like ANCC (American Nurses Credentialing Center) and AANP (American Academy of Nurse Practitioners)
Physician Assistant
- Get your bachelor’s degree.
- Get direct patient care experience like working as a medical assistant, CNA, EMT, etc.
- Get your degree in Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS), and Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS.
- Get certification by passing the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE). This examination must be administered by the NCCPA (National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants)
- After passing the PANCE apply for the licensure in the state where you want to practice.
Role and Responsibilities
Both nurse practitioner vs physician assistant has the same responsibilities. Still, the main difference is that physician assistants work under the supervision of a doctor whereas nurse practitioners can work independently.
Nurse practitioner:
- Nurse practitioners can conduct physical examinations and can order and interpret diagnostic results.
- They can diagnose illness and create treatment plans.
- Prescribe medications.
- Patient Education
- Can refer patients to specialists.
- They can provide primary and preventive care services.
- Patient Advocacy
- Patient follow-up and case management.
Physician Assistant:
- Patient assessment.
- Diagnose medical conditions and develop treatment plans.
- Prescribe medications in most states.
- Providing health education, counseling, and explaining treatment plans to the patients
- Perform clinical procedures such as wound care and cast fractures.
- PAs can also assist with surgeries.
- Monitor patient progress.
- Provide preventive care services.
- Patient Advocacy.
Salary of Nurse Practitioner vs Physician Assistant
The salaries of nurse practitioners and physician assistants may differ because of many factors such as location, state, and experience.
Nurse practitioner:
Nursing practitioners can make about an average of $59.94 per hour. So, the average salary for nurse practitioners annually is $124,680.
Physician Assistant:
Physician assistance can make up to $62.51 per hour. The average annual salary of a Physician Assistant is $130,490.
Types of nurse practitioners and physician assistants
Here we will discuss different types of NP vs PA.
Types of Nurse Practitioners
- Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP)
- Family nurse practitioner (FNP)
- Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP)
- Pediatric primary care nurse practitioner (CPNP)
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP)
- Women’s health nurse practitioner (AGACNP)
Types of physician’s assistant
- Primary care PA
- Orthopedic PA
- Surgical PA
- Pediatric PA
- Dermatology PA
- Cardiology PA
- Oncology PA
- Psychiatric PA
What is the main difference between a Nurse practitioner vs Physician assistant?
Both nurse practitioners and physician assistants can provide direct patient care, diagnose, and create treatment plans but the main difference between NPs and PAs is that physician assistants work under the supervision of doctors and nurse practitioners can work independently.
Is PA higher than NPs?
Both professions are at the same level. The main difference is that PAs cannot work independently, whereas NPs can work independently in many states.
Conclusion
Whether you choose to become a nurse practitioner or physician assistant, the main goal should be always providing high-quality care to your patients. In this blog, we have discussed the differences between nurse practitioner vs physician assistant, from educational requirements to their roles and salaries.
