EMT course and work

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Niesje

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I'm starting my EMT course next monday and I was told I'd have a LOT of clinch hours. I currently work in a nursing home about 50 hrs a week. I've got 2 kids and my husband can't find a job, so I can't quit mine. Did anyone else work similar hours during school with kids at home? Was it too much? I'm worried I won't do well in school if I'm constantly working.
 
Depends on a few different factors.

How long is the EMT course? Longer it is the easier it is generally, because you have more time to study and practice. Also you said you work in a nursing home, are you an LPN or RN? If so the class should be fairly easy as far as tests are concerned. Even a CNA will have advantages over someone with no medical background.

Finally it depends on how quickly you learn and remember things. Look at the text book and see what you think.
 
Most EMT-B programs that I've heard of generally require about 120 hours of classroom time and about 40 hours (approximately) of "clinical" time split between (usually) the ER and ambulance ride time (majority of the time). Although the training can be done in a matter of about 3-4 weeks, it is FAR less stressful for everyone if it's spread out over 3-4 months (Quarter-Semester length). I would be tickled pink if an EMT-B program had clinical time that went way beyond what's required!

As to the actual schedule, you should consult with someone at the program about the proposed schedule and check it against your work schedule. If you can make it fit, great! You'll also find that while some skills do carry over from CNA, much of it won't as you'll be learning a different skillset for a different job.
 
Maybe the husband should take the EMT class :P
 
Akulahawk said:
Most EMT-B programs that I've heard of generally require about 120 hours of classroom time and about 40 hours (approximately) of "clinical" time split between (usually) the ER and ambulance ride time (majority of the time). Although the training can be done in a matter of about 3-4 weeks, it is FAR less stressful for everyone if it's spread out over 3-4 months (Quarter-Semester length). I would be tickled pink if an EMT-B program had clinical time that went way beyond what's required!

As to the actual schedule, you should consult with someone at the program about the proposed schedule and check it against your work schedule. If you can make it fit, great! You'll also find that while some skills do carry over from CNA, much of it won't as you'll be learning a different skillset for a different job.
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It's 8 months (2 semesters) and I do 17hrs a week in classroom and I'm required 506 clinical hours by graduation. I've found a work schedule that fits around school, but it cuts me back to 36 hours a week. My husband is getting temp work here and there and it's helping ends meet, tho. This is going to be a rough 8 months-_-
 
Sandog said:
Maybe the husband should take the EMT class :P
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Ummm, no. I tried to show him some of my skills so he could help me practice (vital signs and transfers) and he can't even grasp that. I shudder to think of him as an EMT. He needs to just stick to his computers.
 
506 clinical hours for an EMT? Im all about more clinical hours but
..........WOW
 
506 hours for EMT? :o Holy crap!

I did 8 hours at a hospital ED and 8 hours on an ambulance shift with a FD. :unsure:
 
Which program are you in? I see your from Lebanon, I'm not familiar with one in TN requiring that many hours!?!
 
rmabrey said:
506 clinical hours for an EMT? Im all about more clinical hours but
..........WOW
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It's apparently an EMT-IV course. While they still have EMT-B's, the entry level is the IV course. According to at least one website, that appears to be essentially an Advanced EMT level course, so 500-ish hours isn't too far out of the norm. It's still quite a bit of clinical hours though, probably about double what's minimally required.
 
Akulahawk said:
It's apparently an EMT-IV course. While they still have EMT-B's, the entry level is the IV course. According to at least one website, that appears to be essentially an Advanced EMT level course, so 500-ish hours isn't too far out of the norm. It's still quite a bit of clinical hours though, probably about double what's minimally required.
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Makes more sense. I'm not familiar with EMT IV, as it didn't exist in Indiana.

Still, 500 hours is a tad bit under my clinical requirements for medic class. Though a good argument can be made for that to be raised.
 
Niesje said:
It's 8 months (2 semesters) and I do 17hrs a week in classroom and I'm required 506 clinical hours by graduation. I've found a work schedule that fits around school, but it cuts me back to 36 hours a week. My husband is getting temp work here and there and it's helping ends meet, tho. This is going to be a rough 8 months-_-
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8 months and 506 clinical hours? At this point invest the money and enroll into Paramedic program. If you have clinical background and good with time management 36-40 hours a week work with school is manageable. However with kids and husband looking for work that is recipe for disaster.

Get your family situation addressed before taking up more tasks being both the only one working and going to school will be recipe for disaster.

Keep working, help your husband get a permanent job and both be on the same page about going to school with full support. Then look into RN programs.
 
Ecgg said:
8 months and 506 clinical hours? At this point invest the money and enroll into Paramedic program. If you have clinical background and good with time management 36-40 hours a week work with school is manageable. However with kids and husband looking for work that is recipe for disaster.

Get your family situation addressed before taking up more tasks being both the only one working and going to school will be recipe for disaster.

Keep working, help your husband get a permanent job and both be on the same page about going to school with full support. Then look into RN programs.
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I'm already on school. But why look into an RN program?
 
Niesje said:
I've already decided nursing is not for me. I aspire to be a flight medic, not a nurse.
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From what I understand, it's a lot easier to get a job as a Flight Nurse than it is to get a Flight Paramedic job. If you have some street time as a Paramedic, it should help your chances of landing a flight job. You take less time to orient to the flight/field environment than a nurse than doesn't have that field time.

That's why you want to look into Nursing. You may not love Nursing, but it's a means to an end, and you'll learn some things you wouldn't as a Paramedic.
 
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Niesje said:
I've already decided nursing is not for me. I aspire to be a flight medic, not a nurse.
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I work about 45 hours a week dispatching, so I feel your pain a bit on that one and this is also what I'm looking to get into.

I've just finished my EMT-B, I start my EMT-P in a week. Then I'm bridging to RN, because it's only 9 more classes. By the time I finish the RN, I'll have at least 3 of the 3-5 years experience on the ground that is commonly the minimum many flight companies require.

Also, think about it like this, you answer a job ad and so do fifteen other EMTs. I walk in with my EMT-P, my RN and the experience in the field to boot... who's getting the job?

Just food for thought, it's better to have a slew of qualifications and experience than it is to only have the one. ^_^
 
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