# RN to EMT-P



## Qulevrius (Jan 16, 2017)

Looking for some info for a buddy. 

I've looked for a bridge programme in CA, but apparently there are none. However, aside from basic requirements for challenging the medic exam, could not find anything. The person in question is a Basic to RN to MICN (meets the requirements), but the information just isn't there. All I could find was out of state programmes.

Can someone please shed some light on the issue ?


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## VentMonkey (Jan 17, 2017)

Bummer, after looking at DFI's updated webpage, it would appear they no longer offer the bridge.


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## Qulevrius (Jan 17, 2017)

Here's what I found:

In order to challenge the medic exam, the RN/MICN (they don't let anyone else do it) has to complete the paramedic programme curriculum. I've looked through and compared both, and it seems that the only thing the nursing school is missing is the advanced airway section. That, plus 40 ALS contacts and one can sit at the NREMT. Unfortunately, short of doing the 2-3 weeks catch-up on intubation somewhere in NE, VA or OH, there aren't any real options for CA residents.

Unless someone has a different information ?


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## VentMonkey (Jan 17, 2017)

Nope, I was just about to post the Creighton link, too. It is kind of nice when people actually do their own research though.

It doesn't sound like a bad set up, if your friend is willing, and eligible for the course. They're well established, and from the looks of it even work with you on getting an internship in/ at your home state (area).

DFI's was pretty much this, and up until a few months ago was still advertised as such, but perhaps not enough people bought into it? 

Either way, it's California so I would be surprised if you called CAEMSA, or even the CA nursing board, and didn't get any sort of answers, or help; good luck, man. Maybe @Akulahawk can chime in with some insight, he's a Cali dual-license holder.


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## Qulevrius (Jan 17, 2017)

You're right, he should probably just call the nursing board and get them to answer his questions. I think I'll just toss him the Creighton link and let him take it from there. Unless @Akulahawk will make an appearance and save the day.


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## Rano Pano (Jan 17, 2017)

Have you looked into Palomar College in San Diego County?

I don't know if it's considered a bridge program, but you test out of certain blocks.
 (I.e. AnP, Card, Pharm)
You also don't have to show up every day, and just take the tests for the blocks you do choose to do.

They were letting RNs do this as recent as last year. My information could be off, but that's my understanding of it to the best of my ability.


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## Akulahawk (Jan 17, 2017)

Hi all... While it's true that I'm dual-licensed in California as RN and Paramedic, I did both via traditional route. Officially there's a way to go from RN to Paramedic and the specific way to do it is probably contained deep within the bowels of Title 22. From what I understand of the process, you basically have to attend parts of a Paramedic program in order to get whatever education you need. I would imagine that an RN with basic EMT training would get most of the "operational" stuff that is necessary but for the advanced airway stuff, you may be required to attend the airway lecture and lab portions of class so that you learn those specific skills. 

At some point they'll endorse you to take the NRP exam and once you've passed that, you'll also be the lucky recipient of having to do a field internship. While certain nurses may be allowed to count certain field contacts as part of their "regular job" it has to be in the field, so the CFRN would be the kind of nurse that gets to do this. Nurses can't get entirely away from doing field internships from what I've seen.

Nurses, while they do get a good and thorough education, they're not primarily trained for field work. It may take a while for an experienced RN to get up to speed in the field and to be able "think like a medic" so new grads may have longer issues with this. 

Have I seen any formalized bridge courses? No, though I've seen plenty of mention in County policy and procedure manuals about RN to Paramedic and I've seen it also mentioned in Title 22. Incidentally Nurses aren't the only folks that are allowed to challenge the Paramedic license process...


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## TransportJockey (Jan 17, 2017)

There used to be a way to do it in Florida that allowed an RN and basic to sit for the state paramedic exam and then attempting nremt reciprocity but I'm not sure of the specifics 

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## VFlutter (Jan 17, 2017)

Creighton is the only program I could find when I was looking.


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## EpiEMS (Jan 17, 2017)

Chase said:


> Creighton is the only program I could find when I was looking.



Some states allow you to bridge via CME/refresher (e.g. NH, NYS)


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## VentMonkey (Jan 17, 2017)

Chase said:


> Creighton is the only program I could find when I was looking.


Go Bluejays! I honestly wish they offered an online BS in EMS. Their faculty is well rounded. I'm currently enrolled in their EMS management course.

Here's to hoping this paints the picture of my completing my AS before I segue into a Bachelors program.


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## VFlutter (Jan 17, 2017)

VentMonkey said:


> Go Bluejays! I honestly wish they offered an online BS in EMS. Their faculty is well rounded. I'm currently enrolled in their EMS management course.
> 
> Here's to hoping this paints the picture of my completing my AS before I segue into a Bachelors program.



I was really contemplating doing the program however the more I think about it my time and money is probably better served taking graduate classes and prerequisites for a MSN than adding EMT-P behind my name. Even though I have no doubt it is a great program and would be worthwhile.


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## Qulevrius (Jan 17, 2017)

Chase said:


> I was really contemplating doing the program however the more I think about it my time and money is probably better served taking graduate classes and prerequisites for a MSN than adding EMT-P behind my name. Even though I have no doubt it is a great program and would be worthwhile.



Well, you're already flying (and most probably crosstrained), so for you specifically it won't make any difference. The dude in question is looking to get onto the flight scene, and he's trying to cover all his bases before applying. Honestly, I plan on doing the same once I'm through with nursing school - pick up a F/T in ER/ICU, and a P/T gig as a 911 medic, for field experience. A few years down the road, couple more certs (CCRN/CEN/CPEN/TCRN) and a transition to flight is smooth and seamless.


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## VentMonkey (Jan 17, 2017)

I still can't bring myself to become a nurse, it just isn't in me, I wish it was. I'd soon rather get my RRT. But first things first, I still have to get my measly AS-paramedic.


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## Qulevrius (Jan 17, 2017)

VentMonkey said:


> I still can't bring myself to become a nurse, it just isn't in me, I wish it was. I'd soon rather get my RRT. But first things first, I still have to get my measly AS-paramedic.



It's a big step-up in every way. Education-wise, money-wise and a whole new set of doors opened. There's a plethora of transport gigs for nurses. My significant other was a NICU transport nurse for years, ended up managing the transport programme, but ultimately realized that being a bedside nurse is her calling. So, no more rigs and she's been a PICU CCRN for nearly 10 years now. To each his own.


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## Carlos Danger (Jan 17, 2017)

VentMonkey said:


> I still can't bring myself to become a nurse, it just isn't in me, I wish it was. I'd soon rather get my RRT. But first things first, I still have to get my measly AS-paramedic.


I looked seriously at RRT before becoming an RN. Honestly, one of the main reasons I ultimately chose RN was just because the RRT program would have been very difficult to schedule around my work schedule, whereas Excelsior was totally self-paced and self-scheduled.

Looking back, I am extremely, exceedingly, overwhelmingly glad that I didn't end up going the RRT route. They are just so limited career-wise that it isn't even funny. Very much like paramedics, most of the ones I've known got board pretty quickly and felt like they were in a dead-end career path.


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## VentMonkey (Jan 17, 2017)

Remi said:


> Very much like paramedics, most of the ones I've known got board pretty quickly and felt like they were in a dead-end career path.


I've known many as well; I'm still waiting for this feeling to kick in.


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## TransportJockey (Jan 18, 2017)

VentMonkey said:


> I still can't bring myself to become a nurse, it just isn't in me, I wish it was. I'd soon rather get my RRT. But first things first, I still have to get my measly AS-paramedic.


I'm in the same boat lol. But I can't justify going the RRT route, as they are so specialized, theres not too much room for advancement. I think I'll get my BSN and then maybe my MSN/NP eventually. Being a midlevel is something I think I might enjoy.


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## VentMonkey (Jan 18, 2017)

TransportJockey said:


> I'm in the same boat lol. But I can't justify going the RRT route, as they are so specialized, theres not too much room for advancement. I think I'll get my BSN and then maybe my MSN/NP eventually. Being a midlevel is something I think I might enjoy.


You all are right, there really isn't room, but at the point where I'd seriously--if at all--contemplate getting dual licensed as an RRT, physically I'd be at the end of my field paramedic career. I just really enjoy vent management, but as it stands now enjoy EMS and advancing my paramedic education that much more. If I can retire as a QRV even with the education and knowledge of a well-rounded paramedic, I'd be fine with it; that's just me.

As far as the mid-level goes, I often tease close friends I should have gone the PA route, but in all reality, plain and simply put, I really like being a paramedic practitioner. 

I'm ok encouraging my wife through her BSN and perhaps vicariously living through her should she so choose to continue on into her MSN, and obtain her FNP. I encourage her every chance I get. She would love to specialize in pediatrics, and would do great.

FWIW, if I had ever moved up to that level of provider, it probably would not have been as an EM practitioner. I would have loved to specialize in intensive care, cardiology, or even plain old family practice.


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## Akulahawk (Jan 18, 2017)

Chase said:


> I was really contemplating doing the program however the more I think about it my time and money is probably better served taking graduate classes and prerequisites for a MSN than adding EMT-P behind my name. Even though I have no doubt it is a great program and would be worthwhile.


Chase, I would suggest that if you can't find a way to challenge the NRP exam and become a Paramedic, I would say that you should concentrate more on earning a higher degree either in nursing, business, or public admin. I became a Paramedic about 17 years ago through the traditional route and later decided to become an RN. Given my particular educational background, the step up to RN wasn't that big except for learning to look at a patient through the vantage point of nursing vs medicine. 

I think what I really mean is that unless your career path depends upon becoming a Paramedic, don't go for it just to get the license unless you have a very clear and easy path to do so that doesn't involve taking up too much of your time. My Paramedic program was basically a full-time gig and I had to work full time too. So was nursing school for that matter but I somehow managed to do it. 

Yes, I'm looking to get re-accredited as a medic but this would be very much a second gig for me and quite part-time. There's much that I do miss from back when I used to work in the field.


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## TransportJockey (Jan 18, 2017)

Holy multipost Batman

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## Akulahawk (Jan 18, 2017)

TransportJockey said:


> Holy multipost Batman
> 
> Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk


I truly have no idea how that happened... but I shall fix it! (Hopefully this post doesn't self-replicate 8 times too...)


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## ExpatMedic0 (Jan 18, 2017)

VentMonkey said:


> I'm ok encouraging my wife through her BSN and perhaps vicariously living through her should she so choose to continue on into her MSN, and obtain her FNP. I encourage her every chance I get. She would love to specialize in pediatrics, and would do great.


Someone's gotta pay the bills, right?


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## hogwiley (Feb 21, 2017)

VentMonkey said:


> I still can't bring myself to become a nurse, it just isn't in me, I wish it was. I'd soon rather get my RRT. But first things first, I still have to get my measly AS-paramedic.



I feel the same way, even though I've spent more time working with Nurses in a hospital than I have working the road, so it's not like I'm one of these medics with a Paragod complex or think I'm above wiping butts or whatever.

I just find that Nursing seems like it requires a certain mentality that I just cant see myself acquiring. Its hard to explain. I guess the best way to sum it up is that Nurses inherently have a tendency to treat every molehill like it's a mountain, which is the exact opposite of the mentality that Paramedics have. Nurses tend to be very fussy and particular, almost to the point of being OCD. If you have that mentality as a Paramedic you'd probably wind up having a stroke your first year.

This is why I think ER Nurses tend to be better road Paramedics than ICU Nurses, not that I'm drawing on a huge sample, but the ER environment more closely resembles what we encounter, although still nowhere near as chaotic and imperfect.

That's not to say there arent people who excel at both.


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## Summit (Feb 21, 2017)

nursing is about prioritization
icu benefits from a component of ocd
ed benefits from a component of add
there's different specialties that suit well to many personalities


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## VFlutter (Feb 22, 2017)

hogwiley said:


> I just find that Nursing seems like it requires a certain mentality that I just cant see myself acquiring. Its hard to explain. I guess the best way to sum it up is that Nurses inherently have a tendency to treat every molehill like it's a mountain, which is the exact opposite of the mentality that Paramedics have. Nurses tend to be very fussy and particular, almost to the point of being OCD. If you have that mentality as a Paramedic you'd probably wind up having a stroke your first year.



Maybe because ICU nurses are with patient's long enough to see those molehills turn into a mountain. They may seem OCD re-taping the ETT/NG/etc until its perfect but what you don't see are the patients with horrific device related pressure ulcers that happen a lot quicker than you would expect. Or organizing and labeling various drips because accidentally pushing through the wrong port or mixing incompatible drips could kill the patient. There is a good reason to be that way as a nurse.


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## fullcodecpr (Apr 23, 2017)

Qulevrius said:


> Looking for some info for a buddy.
> 
> I've looked for a bridge programme in CA, but apparently there are none. However, aside from basic requirements for challenging the medic exam, could not find anything. The person in question is a Basic to RN to MICN (meets the requirements), but the information just isn't there. All I could find was out of state programmes.
> 
> Can someone please shed some light on the issue ?



Check out UCLA's program they had a course for this as it's possible through California title 22 for a RNto bridge to paramedic 


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## VentMonkey (Apr 23, 2017)

fullcodecpr said:


> Check out UCLA's program they had a course for this as it's possible through California title 22 for a RNto bridge to paramedic


That is who I was referring to when I mentioned DFI (Daniel Freeman Institute) to the OP. And yes, had. It appears to have gone the way of the dodo.


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