A question for those that have gone over to the dark side:

At this point, I've done it all. From BLS IFT to rotors, including stopovers in ERs, industrial, clinics and ERs, I've been there and done that (excepting movie work, but I don't think I have enough sunscreen in my jump bag for that.). And I'm burnt. I just don't care about any of my patients beyond making sure they make it to the ER in as good a shape as I can manage, which more than anything else is just a pride thing.

From way back in my days in BLS IFT, I saw 60 yo medics who were crispy, but didn't know how to do anything else, and I swore to myself that I wouldn't go that route...Here I am at 33, not as burnt out as those guys, but far too crispy to do what is, after all, a passion job, and I don't know how to do anything else.

My first two dreams for careers that jumped straight out of healthcare failed, for different reasons, and I'm left to wonder whether I should go for an RN. It makes a lot of sense...It builds on my skills, it pays better, and with travel (as I have no wife, no kids nor even a girlfriend), it offers the flexibility to, say, ride the pan american highway on my bike, and make great money in the interim.

The question I have for those who have made the leap is: Is it enough different that I could be happy doing the work?

Whew...when you said the Dark Side, I was unsure if you meant Fire or AMR....then I click and read and see it is only nursing.

HELL YES!! Get your RN. You can be happy. Nursing can afford you many opportunities into unique and interesting jobs that EMT or Medic does not....a lot of this is due to a certain credibility that goes with the degree. Whether the nurse is competent or not, a RN is granted a certain standing and respect that I do nto see automatically given to people within EMS. I have had clients come to me and demand that only a RN is acceptable for a certain contract when I know full well that a Medic or EMT is exactly what they need. I cannot change their minds.

I too ride....and if you got your nursing, acquired the pre-requiste "newbie" time on a floor then in an ER, travel agencies will snatch you up and you are free to roam and make bank while doing so, especially with no dependents.

Within the nursing field/career, there are so many diverse and exciting opportunities where it is damn near impossible to burn out and equally possible if you look to find something that puts a smile on your face every day when you go to work as opposed to only when you get the paycheck.

If it helps at all, im an EMT-B on a CCT rig for about 3 ish months. super part time, probably about 8 shifts in 3 months... I'm currently in my first semester of getting my BSN.

Do it! There's hoops to jump through, but once you do, if anything, I had too many choices in so many fields. Pay is excellent, as are the hours.

akflightmedic said:

AMR

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AMR is the "evil empire".

CALEMT said:

AMR is the "evil empire".

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"From my point of view Falck is evil!"
-AMR Corporate

RN would be a very smart move. Go for it. My wife is a former EMT and current ICU nurse and loves it. She has way more autonomy than most prehospital folks think, and deals with far sicker patients far more frequently than I do. She also makes more than me, and I get paid very well... Lol

akflightmedic said:

Whew...when you said the Dark Side, I was unsure if you meant Fire or AMR....then I click and read and see it is only nursing.

HELL YES!! Get your RN. You can be happy. Nursing can afford you many opportunities into unique and interesting jobs that EMT or Medic does not....a lot of this is due to a certain credibility that goes with the degree. Whether the nurse is competent or not, a RN is granted a certain standing and respect that I do nto see automatically given to people within EMS. I have had clients come to me and demand that only a RN is acceptable for a certain contract when I know full well that a Medic or EMT is exactly what they need. I cannot change their minds.

I too ride....and if you got your nursing, acquired the pre-requiste "newbie" time on a floor then in an ER, travel agencies will snatch you up and you are free to roam and make bank while doing so, especially with no dependents.

Within the nursing field/career, there are so many diverse and exciting opportunities where it is damn near impossible to burn out and equally possible if you look to find something that puts a smile on your face every day when you go to work as opposed to only when you get the paycheck.

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Absolutely concur! Couldn't have said it better.

I would highly recommend Nursing to anyone. The opportunities are endless. If you think you would like the travel lifestyle then go for it, it is insane what travel nurses can make. There are people claiming to make $15K+ for two weeks in California (Working multiple 16hrs in a row)

VFlutter said:

There are people claiming to make $15K+ for two weeks in California (Working multiple 16hrs in a row)

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I know two of these people, both were medics then went on to become RN. Due to their many years as a medic, they were able to get into traveling ASAP and did quite well with it. They focused on CA in order to obtain their other goals.

They made a ton of money, became debt free and fattened their rainy day fund. They then went on to other financial freedom goals.

First one started his own business and he was able to work as nurse for a month or so then chase his business for several months. If a rough patch occurred, he would grab another contract and put a month in. Eventually his nursing became less and less as his business grew. He is now 8 years in his own business, doing very well living his dream life and has not nursed in over 3 years. However, he in theory could jump back in at anytime.

Second one still nurses contracts here and there. She is very active, travels for pleasure a lot and wants to have passive revenue to support her desires. After becoming debt free (including paying off her home "base camp"), she then socked away more than 1 year of living expenses before proceeding to her goal. She now owns SIX rental homes, is buying two more this year. CASH purchases. She has a property mgmt company who handles everything, she just gets a check in the bank every month. Her current PASSIVE revenue is +/- 5000 per month. She will very soon be at the stage where her property will cash flow 10K a month....more than enough for her to live well for doing "nothing".

Both of these people did this by becoming a nurse and putting in CA time on contracts. Make no mistake....their CA time SUCKED. They *****ed, complained, were assaulted, spat on, nasty grueling work. They actually hated it. But they went where the $$$$ was and stuck to their goals. They got there.

They both are now in their mid-40s and loving life. They started this journey in their mid-30s. It is never too late and it is never too early to start a similar journey.

I went from EMT to RN to RN/medic and agree with what everybody is saying: go get your RN.

I still work EMS per-diem, but I work full-time as an ICU nurse at a Level 1, and I would suggest that you do the same (become an ICU nurse). You'll see more sick people in a week than most medics see in a month or more. You'll have autonomy, respect, and you'll gain experience very quickly.

If you want to stay in the healthcare field, go to nursing school.

VFlutter said:

I would highly recommend Nursing to anyone. The opportunities are endless. If you think you would like the travel lifestyle then go for it, it is insane what travel nurses can make. There are people claiming to make $15K+ for two weeks in California (Working multiple 16hrs in a row)

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Our ECMO nurses have pulled 12K after taxes between OT and specialty pay during the winter when we have multiple kids who need it, and we definitely are not in Cali. Personally I make about triple what I made when I worked in my urban interface fire department.

UnkiEMT said:

The question I have for those who have made the leap is: Is it enough different that I could be happy doing the work?

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One of the best things about nursing is how many different environments you can work in. CVICU, Neuro ICU, Medical ICU, Surgical ICU, Burn ICU, BMT ICU, PICU, NICU, Trauma, ED, Peds ED, ECMO, Transport, et cetera are all different and those are just a small sampling of the critical care services just in our system.

Personally I work mostly in a Peds ED, a touch our our adult ED, and still do some field stuff so there is a lot of similarity to when I worked in fire; I also mostly went into nursing for career advancement and increased pay. Working in the ICUs would have been a much bigger change in pace and rhythm so if you wanted something different I would start there.

Is this going to become RNLife? I have been strongly considering nursing school as well and one of my very good friends just went back to school to work towards RN. Maybe I'll sign up with classes with her.

I've been looking heavily into nursing. But I've been looking at it as a second degree BS. I'm looking at starting the UTSA online BS-EMS program hopeflly this fall.