Preparing for 911 as an EMT

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EMT1A

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Any pointers on what I can do to make myself look more appealing when applying to work for a 911 company as an EMT?

I've got almost a year of IFT under my belt with my former soon to be company, hopefully I'll learn a lot more if and when I transition to this next IFT company.

Planning on find out more info about how I can jump on the cct's with this new company once I get 3-6 months of experience with them. Hopefully jump on the ALS IFT rig if there is one 3-6 months down the road.

Planning on taking PALS/ACLS/EKG on my own in the next 6 months since it's something I want to learn.

I'll be looking to work as a 911 emt in either Alameda County/Santa Clara County/Contra Costa County/San Mateo County if that helps.
 
Is there any reason why you would dedicate that much time to autodidactic studies instead of going back to school?

You would benefit more from becoming an AEMT. You can even do it online.
 
There is no such thing as an AEMT in northern california I believe.

I am going back to school, doing prereq for np. PALS/ACLS/EKG would be required of me in the future anyways so I figured since I have the time and money, I might as well familarize myself with them.

I would not become a paramedic for a few reasons:

1. Cost, $5000-$12000 to make a maximum of $50000/year doesn't seem worth it to me.
2. The lack of jobs for a paramedic
3. The lack of job security combined with how hard it is to find a job in California
4. I feel that the 1-2 years minimum for a paramedic cert would be better used towards achieving NP (3 years, maybe 3.5/4)
 
PVC said:
You would benefit more from becoming an AEMT. You can even do it online.
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I agree but unfortunately CA only uses AEMTs in a very select few counties.

OP, you're taking all the right steps. When it comes down to it though PVC is right, spend your money on furthering your education beyond the alphabet classes. With that said, the alphabet classes do help at the EMT level from the aspect of being able to anticipate what your medic will want.


Something that really put 911 into perspective for me was my very first partner after I finished my FTO time told me, "This job is 99% bull :censored::censored::censored::censored: and 1% oh :censored::censored::censored::censored:". Stick to your good, thorough assessments and the rest will just fall into place. 911 is intimidating but it's not as bad as you think.

That's my one-year-of-experience take on it.
 
I'm really interested in EKG since I see them all the damn time in the hospital and really would love to be able to read and figure out what they mean just for myself.

ACLS/PALS would be cool just to see what the difference is between what is required for an EMT and a medical professional.
 
I believe a forum decision came to the conclusion that you will likely not receive a PALS/ACLS/some other alphabet courses if you are an EMT-B. Bear that in mind. If you go back to school you will take them again. That's some dollahs right there.
 
Unless you can find a direct-entry 3yr NP program, it'd be quicker to go PA. Odds are you'll need a BA/BS before entry into either, though SJVC might be close to you.
 
DarkStarr said:
You wouldn't spend 5k ONCE to make 50k a year?
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It's pretty hard to find a paramedic program that costs $5k in the Bay Area. I only know of one and the program is impacted. The wait list for the program alone is at least a year.... Plus it's so competitive to get in that even then you might not.

The average cost for a paramedic program in the bay area is $10k.

I've pretty much got my future figured out already, I'm just looking to advance my EMT career as much as possible since 911 would pretty much as high as you could go as an EMT.
 
Jambi said:
Unless you can find a direct-entry 3yr NP program, it'd be quicker to go PA. Odds are you'll need a BA/BS before entry into either, though SJVC might be close to you.
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I've got one lined up after I finished my prereqs :) Plus a friend who's already in the program that I'll be using for guidance throughout the process and to help me with admissions.

Bottom line is I don't see a point to become a paramedic when I won't be making it my career.
 
Could I offer some advice?

EMT1A said:
I've got one lined up after I finished my prereqs :) Plus a friend who's already in the program that I'll be using for guidance throughout the process and to help me with admissions.
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Never ever count on contacts as your primary path through the system.

Despite the best intentions of friends and collegues, sometimes administrators have the final say.

As well, you don't want to be the person who everyone finds out got where you are by who you know and not on your own merits. That will follow you your entire career. (which probably won't be too long anyway)

EMT1A said:
Bottom line is I don't see a point to become a paramedic when I won't be making it my career.
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I don't think anyone who understands healthcare education would ever suggest putting off the education needed for your primary goal to be a paramedic.

I won't do that either.

But the situation you describes seems very suspect to me. You seem banking on a shortcut.

I nor my mentors nor collegues are overly keen on people who take short cuts in learning patient care.

I don't think you should hold up your education for what you want to do to become a paramedic, but I think you seriously overestimate the knowledge and experience being an EMT grants compared to being a paramedic.

I will also point out that 911 experience is just as repetative as IFT.
 
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NYMedic828 said:
How are you going to become an NP in 3 years?

You aren't even an RN yet...

And ur worried about 10k for medic, you are severely going to dislike the cost of actual school, especially for a masters program such as NP.
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Not to mention that with the push for NPs to be DNPs at the minimum, you may finish a shortened program only to find you are not employable until you make up the difference in educational requirements when you finish.

What if your shortened program is not included in a grandfather clause or bridge?

Then you paid an aweful lot more to become an RN than just becomming an RN.
 
not planning on taking any shortcuts to patient care....

My thought process is why spend 1-2 years to become a paramedic when I ultimately want to work in the hospital? Why not spend 3 years becoming an NP instead?

You don't have to be an RN to be admitted to an NP program....
 
Veneficus said:
Not to mention that with the push for NPs to be DNPs at the minimum, you may finish a shortened program only to find you are not employable until you make up the difference in educational requirements when you finish.

What if your shortened program is not included in a grandfather clause or bridge?

Then you paid an aweful lot more to become an RN than just becomming an RN.
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Where have you heard about the push for NPs to become DNPS? Is this in California or in general across the country
 
EMT1A said:
not planning on taking any shortcuts to patient care....

My thought process is why spend 1-2 years to become a paramedic when I ultimately want to work in the hospital? Why not spend 3 years becoming an NP instead?

You don't have to be an RN to be admitted to an NP program....
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Your plan is to have prescriptive powers and be an independant healthcare decision maker with only 3 years of healthcare education when every healthcare profession aside from EMS is demanding more and more?

You don't see that as taking a shortcut?

I can assure you I would never trust or let such a provider care for anyone I know.

Edit: and I certainly wouldn't hand off care of one of my patients to one.

The people who make hiring decisions may feel the same way.
 
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EMT1A said:
Where have you heard about the push for NPs to become DNPS? Is this in California or in general across the country
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Across the country.
 
Veneficus said:
Your plan is to have prescriptive powers and be an independant healthcare decision maker with only 3 years of healthcare education when every healthcare profession aside from EMS is demanding more and more?

You don't see that as taking a shortcut?

I can assure you I would never trust or let such a provider care for anyone I know.

The people who make hiring decisions may feel the same way.
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The 3 year program comes from a highly competitive private university that has placed a great number of their graduates in the healthcare industry after graduation. It is a highly respected institution that has been around for over 100 years.

I looked up the requirements for DNP and the college I'm hoping to attend does have a DNP program, however they require a MSN.

I have a B.S. degree btw if that matters to anyone...
 
EMT1A said:
The 3 year program comes from a highly competitive private university that has placed a great number of their graduates in the healthcare industry after graduation. It is a highly respected institution that has been around for over 100 years.

I looked up the requirements for DNP and the college I'm hoping to attend does have a DNP program, however they require a MSN.

I have a B.S. degree btw if that matters to anyone...
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I don't think you understand what I am getting at...

People generally become NPs after having considerable experience as a nurse. Many have advanced education as a nurse.

Much of their professional respect comes from their demonstrated ability.

What you have posted here is that you are going to use your "connections" and University reputation to place you in a position after what I perceive as a way to play doctor without actually going to medical school.

So you basically cut out the respect earned by NPs through their dedication and experience and cut out the rigors of medical education.

That sounds like a PA to me, not an NP. The only use a PA has is to bloat the cost of north american medical care by following algorythms that some guy off the street could do.
 
EMT1A said:
not planning on taking any shortcuts to patient care....

My thought process is why spend 1-2 years to become a paramedic when I ultimately want to work in the hospital? Why not spend 3 years becoming an NP instead?

You don't have to be an RN to be admitted to an NP program....
Click to expand...

LOL what? Where is this 3 year NP program that doesn't require RN? I will move to attend it.

You need a BSN to become an NP, always. The program is probably 3 years with a prerequisite of a BSN and you misunderstood.

That's great you have a BS, I wish I did but you need a BSN. Your degree in biology or something doesn't make you an RN and therefore you cannot be made a master RN.

NP is, and always is, a masters in nursing with nursing background as a require. No exception.

Post the course information if you wish to validate your claims.
 
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