Affiliation paradox - Am I to be thrown under the bus?

[jsflynn603]

NH Resident, Licensed RN in NH/MA. I took and passed the test/practical back in January, 2013. I'm an Occupational Health RN that works in industry, currently unemployed for 1.3 years.

Past employers were large corporations, a drug manufacturer, General Motors, a large paper mill. As Occ-Health RN I'm either first responder or head a team of first responders which in the past often included EMTs.

I've long advised others in Occ Health to obtain an EMT as training and skills are often far more inline with what is needed than the skillset/training that most RN's get, with the possible exception of ED.

I'll have a new job, probably in Massachusetts in the next 6-8 months but live in Keene, NH and the local FD has no affiliation interest in me, nor does any other entity.

I've asked the licensing coordinator: "Can I be unafilliated?" Simple answer: "no."

Being an EMT is important to me and valuable in many ways though not quite as it might be valuable to others. Since I often find myself employed where I am lead for a fast response team, that is reason enough to attempt to remain in good standing.

So here I am, unaffiliated, unaffiliatable (real word?) and frustrated and I'm not even sure what happens now.

At the two year anniversary does my NREMT status die?

Btw when I do find my next job I'd like to do the Advanced EMT course.

Most of you work with, are affiliated with, have teams that have experienced people that act as mentors. I don't.

Any suggestions as to "what happens now," and suggestions to keep my cert up to date without just throwing it into the trashcan would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[VFlutter]

I let my NREMT lapse in march. I see no need for it. You learned some extra skills in the class which is great. But keeping the EMT-B behind RN does not really add anything.

 

[mycrofft]

Suggestions:

1. Contact folks in charge of NREMT directly and ask.

2. Look into schools offering "bridge" programs between RN and EMT.

3. Ask employers what they require.

That said, I'm in Calif. where the law says schools offering EMT "SHALL" (not "may") offer such courses…but I found local schools didn't want to, they want you to take the whole course. Hope you don't find that sort of bullapples going on there.

I worked where EMT-like skills were in demand and they assumed as a RN I knew them. (Having been an EMT before and doing field stuff with the Guard I had those skills, whereas my nursing college and degree sure didn't teach me how to think and how to do in those situations). So an employer looking at your work history and earlier credentials might take you on "as is" assuming (in your case, correctly) that you have the stuff.
PS: Look down the road, too, because being a first responder at a factory or oil field is a young person's job and of limited max earnings).

 

[Ewok Jerky]

Are you concerned about MA, NR, or NH?

In mass you don't need affiliation.
I don't think NR requires it either, but you can revert as "inactive status", as long as you can get your skillz varified.
I don't know about NH, I would contact the local ems agency, you aren't the only one with this problem.

Live free or die.

 

[Rin]

You could try to get hired at a private ambulance company PRN and just work a couple shifts a month to keep up your cert. We've got fire hopefuls at my company like that.

 

[rails]

You could try to get hired at a private ambulance company PRN and just work a couple shifts a month to keep up your cert. We've got fire hopefuls at my company like that.

Yep, that would seem to be an idea. I wasn't sure from the OP's post if private EMS services had been contacted or not (did "nor does any other entity" include private EMS services?). If OP hasn't contacted them, he/she probably should.

 

[Carlos Danger]

I've asked the licensing coordinator: "Can I be unafilliated?" Simple answer: "no."

So here I am, unaffiliated, unaffiliatable (real word?) and frustrated and I'm not even sure what happens now.

I feel ya - I'm in the same boat. It's my biggest frustration with the National Registry. TWICE now I've had to let my NR go because I just happened to be between "blessed" positions when my re-registration cycle rolled around. The first time I was working full time in an ICU and had just left my job as a flight nurse / paramedic and had not quite yet started my part-time 911/CCT paramedic job; the second time I was in CRNA school and simply didn't have time to keep any affiliation anywhere.

I don't know what to tell you - they won't bend or work with you at all on this. It's very unfair and shortsighted on the NR's part, IMO. Nursing and APN regs typically have practice requirements but have exceptions for education and don't require to you necessarily be working at the time you renew your license as long as you get your practice hours in for the year. The NR has no such common sense.

The way I've started to look at it is that if they don't want me and my experience, screw 'em. I'd really like to keep my paramedic cert, but I definitely don't need it. At this point I think I have much more to offer EMS than the other way around.

 

[ExpatMedic0]

the NREMT allows you to be unaffiliated, I was un-affiliated my last re-certification cycle. Many EMS educators, administrators, ect, are "unaffiliated" with a transporting agency. All that happens is you get the "inactive" on your certification, which means your unemployed or not directly involved in patient care at your NREMT certification level. Once you start providing patient care at your NREMT level again, they change your status from "inactive" back to normal. At least this is the way it is for paramedics, I just did it last year.
https://www.nremt.org/nremt/about/reg_basic_history.asp#Inactive_Status
you need 6 months of EMT experience though. I guess the question is, since you are working under your RN licence and not your EMT certificate if they will count any of that. You can also call the NREMT Phone: (614) 888-4484