A Bachelors and a Job.

[ghost02]

Hello, I was woundering if a Bachelors in Liberal Arts with a minor in math will help me very much in the application process. The school I go to is extremely rigorous, and truley teaches us how to think critically.

Would having this degree in a non-scientific and non-medical field be very good on an application? Would it make me stand out?

Thanks,
Michael

 

[stemi]

Its good to be educated regardless. Probably more pertinent is any customer service or EMS experience you have.

 

[Wes]

It'd definitely stand out to me. Most people with a bachelor's degree will have little difficulty completing an EMT or paramedic class. Your reading comprehension, scientific literacy, critical thinking, research skills, and written communication skills should all serve you well regardless of which path in EMS you pursue.

 

[EpiEMS]

I've never met anybody with a bachelors' degree (or actively working on one) who struggled with an EMT class. I can't speak to paramedic coursework, but there's no way that a having a BA would hurt!

 

[terrible one]

Are you asking about applying to school or for a job as an EMT/Paramedic?

 

[ghost02]

For a job as an ent, terrible. Thanks for the input so far guys, keep it coming.

 

[Akulahawk]

Hello, I was wondering if a Bachelors in Liberal Arts with a minor in math will help me very much in the application process. The school I go to is extremely rigorous, and truly teaches us how to think critically.

Would having this degree in a non-scientific and non-medical field be very good on an application? Would it make me stand out?

Thanks,
Michael

It'd definitely stand out to me. Most people with a bachelor's degree will have little difficulty completing an EMT or paramedic class. Your reading comprehension, scientific literacy, critical thinking, research skills, and written communication skills should all serve you well regardless of which path in EMS you pursue.

While it would make you stand out, you must also still show me how your BA degree applies to your ability to provide care. It's the research skills, the comprehension, the overall literacy, and so on that allows you to read the latest stuff and be able to think how to apply the current best practices in patient care to your situation and within your current protocols.

I would still encourage you to take the typical allied health prerequisites, if you haven't already done so, and that also can only help you down the road too. The more you know about what's "normal" for the body to do, the better off you'll be in making care decisions later.

 

[ChanelCinq]

OK my question is a little different. I have a Bachelors in French from 13 years ago and the part that may hurt me is I have a BSN (Bachelors of Science in Nursing) from last year.

Now I have not been able to pass NCLEX so I am not sure how to spin this on my resume. It was 2 years of my life and I used my savings while I was studying and did not work during that time. So I don't want to leave it off for two reasons. I think in apply for an EMT job a BSN looks good and how would I account for those two years. I had 18 months on my resume where I traveled AFrica and Asia. I don't want to have another gap.

But how do I spin it? I really don't want to tell them I failed NCLEX - twice. Any ideas?

 

[Carlos Danger]

OK my question is a little different. I have a Bachelors in French from 13 years ago and the part that may hurt me is I have a BSN (Bachelors of Science in Nursing) from last year.

Now I have not been able to pass NCLEX so I am not sure how to spin this on my resume. It was 2 years of my life and I used my savings while I was studying and did not work during that time. So I don't want to leave it off for two reasons. I think in apply for an EMT job a BSN looks good and how would I account for those two years. I had 18 months on my resume where I traveled AFrica and Asia. I don't want to have another gap.

But how do I spin it? I really don't want to tell them I failed NCLEX - twice. Any ideas?

Why do want to spin anything? Just do what you need to do to pass the NCLEX, and then be honest with potential employers that you had a hard time with it. Lots of people have to take it several times and then go on to be really good nurses. Not a huge deal at all.

After a little bit of experience, no one will care at all that you failed the NCLEX 2 or even 3 times. No one will probably even know, unless you volunteer it.

I assure you that you will cause many more problems for yourself by giving up on the exam and trying to hide it than you will by taking a review course, getting some tutoring in exam-taking and test-anxiety management skills, and passing the exam.

 

[ChanelCinq]

Why do want to spin anything? Just do what you need to do to pass the NCLEX, and then be honest with potential employers that you had a hard time with it. Lots of people have to take it several times and then go on to be really good nurses. Not a huge deal at all.

After a little bit of experience, no one will care at all that you failed the NCLEX 2 or even 3 times. No one will probably even know, unless you volunteer it.

I assure you that you will cause many more problems for yourself by giving up on the exam and trying to hide it than you will by taking a review course, getting some tutoring in exam-taking and test-anxiety management skills, and passing the exam.

I guess I should have been more clear. I am looking for a job ASAP and I want to work in the medical field so I did an EMT program which was awesome. I passed NREMT the day of graduation, my card came 5 days later, I went to the county to apply the next day (2 days ago) and was told I will have my card by Friday (tomorrow). I have my temp AMbulance certification, my driving print out and everything else. I just need to figure out what to do with my nursing education on my resume and what to say on interviews.

Yes once I start working I will start studying for the NCLEX again but RIGHT NOW I am interested in what to do with that information while looking for an EMT job.

I am not giving up on the NCLEX and I do not want to get into the specifics of that because that is a whole different story. Right now I am asking advice about nursing school on my resume but not being an RN. I am NOT asking about how to pass the NCLEX.

 

[Carlos Danger]

I guess I should have been more clear. I am looking for a job ASAP and I want to work in the medical field so I did an EMT program which was awesome. I passed NREMT the day of graduation, my card came 5 days later, I went to the county to apply the next day (2 days ago) and was told I will have my card by Friday (tomorrow). I have my temp AMbulance certification, my driving print out and everything else. I just need to figure out what to do with my nursing education on my resume and what to say on interviews.

Yes once I start working I will start studying for the NCLEX again but RIGHT NOW I am interested in what to do with that information while looking for an EMT job.

I am not giving up on the NCLEX and I do not want to get into the specifics of that because that is a whole different story. Right now I am asking advice about nursing school on my resume but not being an RN. I am NOT asking about how to pass the NCLEX.

Well again, lots of people have to repeat the NCLEX. I don't think it's a big deal and I wouldn't try to "spin it". 10% who take it fail it the first time, and 5% fail it twice or more. And many of those folks go on to be good nurses. In an interview, I'd just tell them you've had a tough time with the NCLEX and are taking your time before you retake it so you can be sure that you are really ready.

What I would worry about more is how to answer questions about your plans after you get your nursing license. Some places don't mind being a stepping stone, but many others won't hire someone who they think is just going to quite or want to go PRN in 6 months or a year, especially new people who take a while to get up to speed.

 

[ChanelCinq]

Well again, lots of people have to repeat the NCLEX. I don't think it's a big deal and I wouldn't try to "spin it". 10% who take it fail it the first time, and 5% fail it twice or more. And many of those folks go on to be good nurses. In an interview, I'd just tell them you've had a tough time with the NCLEX and are taking your time before you retake it so you can be sure that you are really ready.

What I would worry about more is how to answer questions about your plans after you get your nursing license. Some places don't mind being a stepping stone, but many others won't hire someone who they think is just going to quite or want to go PRN in 6 months or a year, especially new people who take a while to get up to speed.

Yeah I am worried about all those things. Many companies hire nurses. Some of my skills instructors worked on the ambulance with an RN. Getting a hospital job in the San Francisco Bay Area is almost unheard of. Many of my friends moved out of state after looking for over a year for an RN hospital job. So if I worked at a company that also employs RNs and could transition into another position, that would be perfect. Way better then moving out of state.

It's not a hospital but to be honest I think I would prefer being an RN on an ambulance then working in a hospital.

 

[Carlos Danger]

Getting a hospital job in the San Francisco Bay Area is almost unheard of.

I've heard the job market for RN's was pretty tight in parts of CA; I didn't realize it was that bad.

It's not a hospital but to be honest I think I would prefer being an RN on an ambulance then working in a hospital.

I prefer that, too, but most of those jobs require several years of critical care nursing experience.

Good luck, whatever you end up doing.

 

[Akulahawk]

I would completely echo what Halothane said about your BSN. Pretty much everyone KNOWS that the NCLEX is a difficult exam. All you have to do to explain that you're not an RN yet is simply to say that you've had a rough time with it. You do not have to elaborate beyond that.

The other thing is that if you're looking for a "decent" RN job in the SF Bay Area, you'll need a few years of experience. They won't want to hire a new grad. Why do that when you can hire an experienced RN that you just have them do a quick orientation to the unit/floor and they're off and running?

Halothane, some places in California really are that bad for new grad RNs. The flip side of that is that the RN workforce there is getting older. Eventually that workforce will have to experience a significant turnover rate. That may not even begin to happen for a few more years.

 

[Tigger]

I have found my college experience (or whatever you want to call it) to make for good conversation in interviews, but that's about it when it comes to getting the interview. As far as I can tell private ambulance companies could care less if you had a doctorate and were applying for EMT-B jobs.

At two my jobs no one cared that I had a degree either. However at county district that I currently work for, it has helped me a lot. We are trying to implement a community paramedic program and my political science background (lots of writing) has helped me to assist in its growth. I write letters, keep track of rudimentary surveys, and am starting to write grants. While this is not a job requirement, I think it sets me above the rest of our part time staff and may put me in position to get picked up fulltime if an opening comes up (not likely haha).

 

[ghost02]

Tigger, so a BA is something that would not be immediately helpful, but down the line when supervisor or higher positions are avalable, it would help?

Regardless of its assistance in getting me a job, I am going to get my BA for me, it would just be nice if it could help job-wise.

 

[Medic Tim]

Is the term Graduate Nurse not used anymore? or do you lose that title once you take the NCLEX?

 

[VFlutter]

Is the term Graduate Nurse not used anymore? or do you lose that title once you take the NCLEX?

Most hospitals no longer hire Graduate Nurses. Traditionally, you would be hired as a Graduate Nurse after graduation and then begin orientation and training while studying for the NCLEX. There was usually a time limit on how long you could practice as a GN. Usually 30 or 60 days. However this is risky for the hospital since they spend thousands of dollars in training on people who may take multiple tries or never pass the test. So if a trained GN didn't pass the first try it may take months for them to retest and join the workforce. Or they would have to hire them as a Tech until they eventually passed.

It is much easier for the hospital, especially in the current job market, to only hire new grads who have already passed. I took my NCLEX as soon as possible and got hired within a few weeks of graduation. Many of my friends who took months to study for the test did not have jobs when they passed since most hospitals only have new grad orientations every few months.

We have a handful of techs that went to Nursing school but never actually became an RN.

 

[Carlos Danger]

We have a handful of techs that went to Nursing school but never actually became an RN.

Ouch.

I knew 1 person who never took the NCLEX after RN school. She was an excellent and loved tech on our unit.

 

[Akulahawk]

Is the term Graduate Nurse not used anymore? or do you lose that title once you take the NCLEX?

While new grads are "Graduate Nurses" they lose that once they take the NCLEX and that status is really just for hiring a new grad before they take the NCLEX anyway. California doesn't "do" the GN thing anyway... they use an "Interim Permit" so that a new grad can be hired and work in the traditional GN role. The IP expires in 180 days OR upon taking the NCLEX the first time.