This happens in Europe.
I’m a nurse looking for something else because my job now is breaking my back, literally. I was at home for several weeks because of back pain.
A B.Sc. Physician Assistant would mean that 20% bump, it’s something I’ve always considered, but I’d miss just working 35 hours a week instead of 39. That’s 16 hours per month, 2 free days per month. I’d feel like a loser. I really want those free 2 days per month.
There’s a small practice that would cover the costs of that B.Sc. and offer me a job, so I’d work and study at the same time… but 39 hours per week, till I retire… I don’t want that.
There are other bachelors I could pursue, like Case Management, but that would earn me less than that 20%. Still 39 hours per week.
I’m not going back to bedside.
To make it more complicated, this 35 hour per week workplace is unionized, most smaller practices are not.
If you know of other bachelors I could pursue, simply post them.
20% pay increase for a 12% time increase. Honestly, those numbers aren’t big enough to entice me on their own.
But I think the bigger thing is job satisfaction. In your current job you spend 35 hours a week doing something you hate. Would a PA mean you’re spending 39 hours doing something you enjoy?
I would focus this more on your happiness than economics. Being miserable has no money associated with it but it’s the thing that follows you around 24/7.
If you just want to get away from bedside, you might want to keep shopping around for other degrees you think you’d like. If being a PA is something you know you’d like (never mind the 39 hours - just the tasks the job itself entails), that seems like a smart path to follow!