19 y/o interested in making this my career.. many questions on where to begin!

[shivi1345]

not to steal his thread, but....

I'm pretty much in the same position (just turned 20, I have a high school diploma), I've had jobs before and have completed a bit of Junior College, and I can/don't mind driving

How would you guys recommend I go about getting this off the ground?

From what I've read here:

1) I should find a EMT-B class (probably at a JC)
2) Pass that then start working (full time?) (with a local company?)
3) While working get the higher EMT licenses (EMT-II?)
4) With that license get a new job, and work towards getting the Paramedic certifications
5) Then finally I'm a paramedic and life is good? lol

I realize that $ isn't the ultimate goal, but I wouldn't want to be living off minimum wage in 5-10 yrs; but it seems like compensation goes up as your experience goes up. Right?

I really want to get started, but like the OP said I want to make sure I know what I'm doing before I dive in.

I live in So Cal, LA/Ventura County btw

any help/suggestions are greatly appreciated. thanks

 

[exodus]

not to steal his thread, but....

I'm pretty much in the same position (just turned 20, I have a high school diploma), I've had jobs before and have completed a bit of Junior College, and I can/don't mind driving

How would you guys recommend I go about getting this off the ground?

From what I've read here:

1) I should find a EMT-B class (probably at a JC)
2) Pass that then start working (full time?) (with a local company?)
3) While working get the higher EMT licenses (EMT-II?)
4) With that license get a new job, and work towards getting the Paramedic certifications
5) Then finally I'm a paramedic and life is good? lol

I realize that $ isn't the ultimate goal, but I wouldn't want to be living off minimum wage in 5-10 yrs; but it seems like compensation goes up as your experience goes up. Right?

I really want to get started, but like the OP said I want to make sure I know what I'm doing before I dive in.

I live in So Cal, LA/Ventura County btw

any help/suggestions are greatly appreciated. thanks

Get your ASN from a local JC. Then get a job at an ER and get experience, then find a hospital to sponsor you for your BSN. Once you have experience on that, get a job as a flight nurse, or CCT nurse. Much much more money, and still on the streets.

 

[shivi1345]

^ lol idk half of what that means

I did some research though....

it seems like ASN and BSN's are nursing programs?

are you saying I should sign up for the nursing program (long wait list @ Moorpark College btw) rather than the EMT program?

Do 20y/o guys straight out of the class get hired by ER's? (either EMT-B or ASN)

Then becoming a CCT nurse or Flight nurse just requires more certifications and stuff once you're a RN?

Is that a more advantageous career path? (as opposed to a paramedic)


again, I really don't know anythingg about the subject; please excuse my ignorance

thanks

 

[exodus]

It's a much better career path to take. There is absolutely no advancement as a paramedic (other than flight medic, then you're at the top...) Emt's very rarely get hired on at ER's right away. An ASN will take ~2 to 3 yeras, but you will get hired easily at a hospital right away, and make much more money. To become a flight or CCT nurse, you will need ER and or ICU experience first. There's a few extra certifications you get ontop of the RN such as PALS and ACLS.

 

[JPINFV]

Get your ASN from a local JC. Then get a job at an ER and get experience, then find a hospital to sponsor you for your BSN. Once you have experience on that, get a job as a flight nurse, or CCT nurse. Much much more money, and still on the streets.

Naw. Medical school, EM residency, EMS fellowship, then run your own EMS fiefdom and ensure that there's an option for physician response. After all, the best QI is direct observation.

 

[Lola99]

not to steal his thread, but....

I'm pretty much in the same position (just turned 20, I have a high school diploma), I've had jobs before and have completed a bit of Junior College, and I can/don't mind driving

How would you guys recommend I go about getting this off the ground?

From what I've read here:

1) I should find a EMT-B class (probably at a JC)
2) Pass that then start working (full time?) (with a local company?)
3) While working get the higher EMT licenses (EMT-II?)
4) With that license get a new job, and work towards getting the Paramedic certifications
5) Then finally I'm a paramedic and life is good? lol

I realize that $ isn't the ultimate goal, but I wouldn't want to be living off minimum wage in 5-10 yrs; but it seems like compensation goes up as your experience goes up. Right?

I really want to get started, but like the OP said I want to make sure I know what I'm doing before I dive in.

I live in So Cal, LA/Ventura County btw

any help/suggestions are greatly appreciated. thanks

This goes to you as well as OP.
A really great thing in EMS is that most places allow ride-alongs, where some waivers are signed and people are allowed to sort of shadow the techs on a shift. Try checking out local services and see what you can find.
If the first one says no, try another. Every one is different.

 

[shivi1345]

It's a much better career path to take. There is absolutely no advancement as a paramedic (other than flight medic, then you're at the top...) Emt's very rarely get hired on at ER's right away. An ASN will take ~2 to 3 yeras, but you will get hired easily at a hospital right away, and make much more money. To become a flight or CCT nurse, you will need ER and or ICU experience first. There's a few extra certifications you get ontop of the RN such as PALS and ACLS.

k so I'm a little confused still....

You're saying that I should go for the Nursing program:

http://www.moorparkcollege.edu/departments/academic/nursing/application_process.shtml

there's no real point in following the EMT/Paramedic route? (I looked it up and saw that flight medics shouldn't really expect much more $, is that true?)

and the difference between a CCT nurse and a flight nurse is the ASN program?

Is there any point in even taking the EMT-B, 1 semester program?

thanks agn lol

 

[exodus]

k so I'm a little confused still....

You're saying that I should go for the Nursing program:

http://www.moorparkcollege.edu/departments/academic/nursing/application_process.shtml

there's no real point in following the EMT/Paramedic route? (I looked it up and saw that flight medics shouldn't really expect much more $, is that true?)

and the difference between a CCT nurse and a flight nurse is the ASN program?

Is there any point in even taking the EMT-B, 1 semester program?

thanks agn lol

CCT nurse = ground transport flight nurse = air transport. That's it.

ASN = Associate in Nursing
BSN = Bachelors in Nursing

And an EMT-B course won't help you very much in nursing school.

 

[shivi1345]

Ahh ic ic......

So maybe EMTlife is the wrong place to be?

 

[mux]

Ahh ic ic......

So maybe EMTlife is the wrong place to be?

That depends on you. Honestly I was in your same exact position a few months ago (sort of). My advantage was that I know a few EMT's (B's and P's) as well as some RN's (One has over 20 years under her belt). How does this relate to your inquiry? Well, lets take a look at what exodus posted for example:

It's a much better career path to take. There is absolutely no advancement as a paramedic (other than flight medic, then you're at the top...) Emt's very rarely get hired on at ER's right away. An ASN will take ~2 to 3 yeras, but you will get hired easily at a hospital right away, and make much more money. To become a flight or CCT nurse, you will need ER and or ICU experience first. There's a few extra certifications you get ontop of the RN such as PALS and ACLS.

Most of the stuff I quoted is absolutely correct from what I've been told. I have bolded what is mostly incorrect in most SoCal regions. Even with the RN's that I know now, if I were to take and pass my RN test I would be hard pressed finding a job in SoCal as a nurse, period. That could change in a few months though, just like every other career field right now.

I honestly have no idea where you're getting your information exodus. I'm not saying it's completely wrong as employment opportunities are completely regional right now for every field in SoCal it seems like. I'm retraining from another field myself since employment in it is next to zero. I've just been told by 4 RN's that getting employed as a nurse with no medical experience is almost impossible right now unless you get extremely lucky. In case you are wondering, two work in San Fernando, one works in San Diego, and another works near Hollywood.

All of them said roughly the same thing; No experience, likely no callback. So honestly, it's going to be a personal decision you have to make, shivi. Just do what will make you happy at the end of the day.