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Stick to a program affiliated with a community college. Can't go wrong there, and you get college credits which you can apply to further studies.

That's not the case anymore. It used to be that nurses were getting multiple job offers before they graduated, however new nurses (especially ADN) are having a hard time in many states to get any job as an RN, let alone a good one at the specialty of their choice.

When I worked for a slow service we didn't because we would only do a 12-lead about once every 2 days, same with IFT. But on 911 we do a 12-lead several times a day so I try to pre-load the 12 lead so I don't have to spend 3 seconds snapping them together.

I think it's a bit of both across the united states. As nursing is moving away from employing ADN nurses in favor of BSN nurses there is a growing number of applicants to BSN programs, which allows them to be more selective. I know here in CO getting into CU pretty much requires a 3.5+ GPA to...

I'm not sure what you are asking. I will point out that BLS is a rather poor place to look for a realistic view of your earning and employment potential. EMTs and Paramedics are lumped together despite that there is usually a decent disparity in pay between the two. In general I earn 50% more...

If you have the chance and the means to get your degree, do it while you can. When you get to be in your 20s and have a EMS career and other life stuff to deal with it becomes very hard to get a degree. I have to juggle keeping up with calculus and history as well as trying to keep my EMS brain...

With emergent returns it's always about the same speed as traffic, the blinkies and whoowhoos are just for intersections. So really with an emergent return it takes about the same amount of time as going routine, maybe we save a minute or two depending on traffic and distance. I don't think...

Absolutely. Most of those that get placed on these holds are done outside of the realm of EMS, but I have transported many that were placed on holds by myself or a doc. Most of the time it's for an elderly or mentally ill individual who just can't take care of themselves anymore. One...

Way off. Denver Health is a very progressive, busy, well respected EMS system and. I definitely don't work in a service anywhere close to the respect that DH gets. And Fire departments positioning themselves to take over ambulance services is a common practice in CO, regardless of how high...

If it was that easy I would :P And the money is pretty low on the list of reasons for me to work there. Working in a progressive, busy, well respected EMS system is at the top of the list. Yes I do live in the city, as Jeff said it's by no means required. I just enjoy living closer to work...

I always wondered why I heard DFD screaming by my apartment more often than Denver Health :P . I think I have seen and worked in systems that carpet bomb calls more than DFD does though; had a truck, engine company, ambulance, and chief at every shooting just about, along with embarrassingly...

I'm more paranoid that hours sitting on the ambulance will kill me with a PE :P

I think the poster children for PE are typically old, bed-confined pts with recent surgery or old people with a hx of a-fib. I personally haven't had a younger (under 30) pt with a PE yet, I know women are particularly prone to PE due to birth control pills having an increased chance of forming...

Yes all engines in Denver are BLS. Ambulances are double Paramedic. All critical life saving interventions can be performed by a BLS unit, and engines are only dispatched on critical calls and fire/hazmat/extrication/rescue calls. This way engines aren't roaring around town to help grandma who...

Welcome Savage, I will first say that most ambulance services in Australia require at least 2 years of experience. It sounds like this won't be an issue for you, but just keep it in mind. Australia is quite a bit different from the US. Here in the USA, EMT-Ps sit in an awkward...

So I feel like I am well qualified to add something to this conversation. I started as a basic, had 2 years+ road time in an ALS truck, then went to Paramedic school. I can say with absolute certainty that a good basic doesn't always equal a good paramedic. The argument of you do or do not...

I have no idea what you are talking about. Are you trying to say that people don't understand why you work on an ambulance? Also, what do you mean by "People who are not in Fire and Rescue do not seem to understand that it is not just a job, it is a lifestyle. EMS doesn't change to fit our...

Yes I am. However NAEMT isn't a very powerful group. They often ride the fence spouting gibberish that scarcely touches the subject of what their stance is about. Their stances can be summarized thusly, EMS is good and necissary, and should take good care of patients. However, I will say I just...

I am sure a significant number of football fans would say they are. If I didn't think Tebow was worth the ridiculous amount of money they are paying him I wouldn't have bought his jersey (Although I was drunk prior to the purchase ^_^ ). Same goes for firefighters, they tell people that if...

^^^ What Linuss said. I would also add as a little educational extra that there are multiple pathologies of MI and stroke. To say that an MI or Stoke is only caused by emboli or thrombus secondary to plaque or is an over-simplification and may confuse you later on when someone gets in an MVA...