Nurse Practitioner vs Attorney (skill, doctor, degree, med school)

[allwayz_smilin]

I always toyed with the idea of being a lawyer, but decided I'd rather spend time with my kids. The hours an attorney puts in are waaay too long to have any kind of family life. Of course, shift work is not real conducive either.

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by allwayz_smilin

I always toyed with the idea of being a lawyer, but decided I'd rather spend time with my kids. The hours an attorney puts in are waaay too long to have any kind of family life. Of course, shift work is not real conducive either.

It depends on what sort of law, and what sort of law firm, especially, that you enter.

Small firms may be more flexible on billing and hours, compared with the corporate-like structure of larger firms.

[sandlapper]

Wow these are some really eye opening comments. I am currently in a NP program (graduate in May of 09).

I hate bedside nursing but the role of an nurse practitioner is different. As someone said earlier it is more autonomous, and your are the one who is developing the gameplan as opposed to executing it (traditional nursing). It's kinda like being a professional medical resident. You develop the gameplan then run it by the attending. There may be some tweaks but it is not much different than what most physicians do anyway. In some states (OR, WA, NM,) you don't have to have physician collaboration. You are your own entity.

My sugestion is if you want to be an NP do the accelerated route take a year or two and get some clinical experience (get familiar with the ABC's of care) then I would try to become a CRNA first, (there is no better job for the amount of hours yielding income 40hrs/120K) then check out NP from what Iv'e seen is still a great job but pay is less (about 70-85K however I have some friends who have started out at or above 100K) than the CRNA but times are changing.

[nativeDallasite]

Originally Posted by goingreene

Hi everyone!

Which profession do you think earns more respect? Anyone have any info on starting salary and working conditions? I'm considering both careers and am not sure which way to go. Any info would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Nurse practitioners probably make less on average than attorneys do, but I think the job security is probably better. I have a lot more respect for someone who went out and earned a master's degree in nursing than someone who has a JD, mostly because there are too many freaking lawyers in this country already.

[mm_mary73]

Originally Posted by sandlapper

Wow these are some really eye opening comments. I am currently in a NP program (graduate in May of 09).
....... It's kinda like being a professional medical resident. You develop the gameplan then run it by the attending. There may be some tweaks but it is not much different than what most physicians do anyway. .......

You have a lot to learn my dear. As an APRN (and >30 years nursing experience), I am not "a professional medical resident", nor do I "run it by the attending". "....not much different than what most physicians do anyway..." is certainly not the attitude to exhibit if you want to develop working relationships with physicians and other practitioners. My nurse anesthetist colleagues would disagree with your plan of going from one version of advanced practice to another. Most CRNAs I know love their jobs and wouldn't trade it for another. Good luck in your current program

[sandlapper]

Originally Posted by mm_mary73

You have a lot to learn my dear. As an APRN (and >30 years nursing experience), I am not "a professional medical resident", nor do I "run it by the attending". "....not much different than what most physicians do anyway..." is certainly not the attitude to exhibit if you want to develop working relationships with physicians and other practitioners. My nurse anesthetist colleagues would disagree with your plan of going from one version of advanced practice to another. Most CRNAs I know love their jobs and wouldn't trade it for another. Good luck in your current program

I thought it was obvious I have alot to learn since I have already stated that I was a student NP. Again not to offend you or any current APN who may be reading this, but from my perception (which again has been shaped through my personal experience thus far) the role of an ACNP wich I'm studying to become seems very similar to a medical resident (which is why earlier I specifically stated "kinda like") in the hospital setting, and many of the residents and attendings I have been around and in contact with collaborate with each other all the time in the ICU's, hey I may be incorrect but that has been my perception of it as of now (clinicals start this summer). Again I have also noted that in certain states it is not required for NP's to practice in collaboration with physicians.

I don't think I mentioned anything at all detrimental about CRNA's at all. I think they have a great job, and many of the one's I know love what they do! I think you may have mis-understood what I was trying to say, anyways I always encourage anyone in nursing to become an APN!

Thanks for wishing me well, I have truly enjoyed the program so far!

[RN2JD]

I am a RN working in an ED at an extremely busy hospital. I am satisfied with my job even though I work PMs. However, last year I started law school in hopes of entering health law/legal medicine; in hopes of having a greater impact as a patient advocate. I enjoy being an ED nurse and find it quite challenging, but I equally enjoy the case briefings and legal research performed in law school. However, the drawback is, with fulltime work and part time law studies I have no social life.

A new grad RN in my city makes approximately > $30.00/hour with great benefits. In comparison, a new attorney that works for the DA or a governmental agency may make less than a new grad RN.

[christina0001]

I think attorneys are more respected, just because the profession is more known to people...but in other ways, attorneys get no respect at all. Nurse practitioners do a lot but are constantly compared to and seen as less than doctors...well, they aren't doctors, but that does not mean the work is not challenging and that they are undeserving of respect. IMO, we need many more nurse practioners and far less attorneys.

[vixxen64889]

as someone who just newly graduated from a nurse practitioner program in upstate new york. i find it very interesting that many of the people that are posting comments on this page are making remarks about how nursing isn't a very well respected profession and it's not seen or noticed by the public. Actually, this is far form the case because nursing is one of the most respected professions in this country. Nursing is one of the largest professions in this country and frequently shows up on national surveys as being one of the most respected and trusted professions by the public. i get really upset when people say that nurse practitioners are just pretending to be doctors, because i think this is the farthest from the truth. if i wanted to go to school to be a doctor i could have but i chose nursing and i think that it is a wonderful profession for those that love people, having to think on their toes, and enjoy taking care of patients. it does NP's a disservice to label us as less than doctor's or midlevels, which is a term that is used all to often. nurse practitioners are experts in their field and should be viewed as such. people should get off being so hung up on titles and concentrate more on twhat matters which is that the united states is in the midst of a health care crisisi and we should be more focused on the quality of health care that tpatients are receiving and less on what title the person bears that they are receiving it from. Nurse practitioners after all have experience as nurses that they bring to the table as well, we are not just graduating from school having never touched a patient.
I am looking forward to starting my new career as a family nurse practitioner and i encourage aspiring nursing professionals to seek higher education and advanced degrees in nursing because there is a lot of job stability, good pay, and rewarding benefits. I would advise anyone seeking a career in nursing to pursue it. you will always have a job, have mobility, and many opportunities in different areas of nursing that may interest you. nursing has been a rewarding profession to me i just wish that those that are not nurses could realize how great a profession that it is.

sorry for the long posting.

[stan4]

My bro has some special technical background, he went to a top tier school, he's going into IP law, and he's starting at $165K. From everything I hear, this is _so_ not the norm and that certain specialties like IP pay higher. The average starting salary is more like $60k-$70k according to him and his buddies. And some are making less clerking or working for the EPA ($45k). And, no matter which way you go, expect at least a 70 hour work week.

I have several NP friends who made (starting out) almost $90k a year. One who is working for an internal medicine group is topping $100k and another who works in EM is closer to $150k. Become a CRNA, and the sky is the limit. And most of these guys don't work more than 36 to 40 hours a week.

As for respect...well, it's getting to be that I can't stand to be around my brother. That whole law school mentality is just something else. What is wrong with those people?

I do, however, _adore_ my nurses. They are tops in my book, and nothing would be done in this ED without them. They are the backbone, the heart, the pancreas, the whatever organ you choose of the health care system.

Anyone who does not have respect for nurses has no idea what they really do and how much they contribute.