Hey everybody! One scared RN here. I'm working towards challenging the NREMT-P tests, and I'm scared to death. I've been an ER nurse now for almost seven years, but it's still amazing to me how different our worlds are, even if they are so closely connected! I joined up here to gain some insight for testing (less than three weeks away for practicals, aaaaah!) and to learn as much as I possibly can. We never stop learning, right? My goal is to eventually become a flight nurse, and knowing most flight services (where I am, anyway) require their nurses to become paramedic certified within a year, I thought I'd go ahead and get it out of the way if I can, and hopefully pick up a part time job or two with local EMS services in the meantime - hit the trenches, if you will. What can I say, I'm a trauma junkie and y'all get to have all the fun with it before ya make it to me in the ER! I feel the need to join in!! Haha! Anyway, looking forward to posting here with everyone and learning as much as I can.
another noob!
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piranah
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well, welcome..I am actually doing the opposite...paramedic becoming a nurse lol..but the biggest thing really in my opinion to becoming a paramedic vs. nurse is remembering you are a paramedic and that it is on you to make the decision "5 min. ago"...as far as i have seen nurses that move to our sector seem to pick it up but it takes time and experience.Congrats on deciding to cross into the dark side lol...welcome...ooo and Im just curious what type of training did you have to go through to be able to test?
in SC, you have to submit a work "resume" and they require (i think) at least 3-5 years of experience in a critical care setting - ICU or ER. they also require current ACLS and BLS certifications. after you send that to DHEC, they approve you to take a refresher course. 48 hours. then all you have to do is test. practicals, one written "assessment" test for SC provisional license, then another written for NREMT-P. pretty sad they dont require ride time or anything, if you ask me. but i've been doing some anyway.
i took my refresher course back in feb 2009, but then pushed it (paramedic) to the side - my refresher sucked, everyone in there was an NREMT-P taking it for continuing education, so the instructor geared the class to them and i didnt learn a whole lot. surely didnt learn any practicals - we didnt have a manikin in the class the whole time i was there. so thats one of the main reasons i quit even thinking about it, i was super duper scared. but something ended up renewing my interest, and i jumped back into it about 1 month ago, maybe a little bit longer. and now it's coming down to the wire - my practicals are in two weeks. yikes. heading out here in a few minutes to do some more practice with my instructor friend... so nice of him to take time out of his schedule to help me out. but i thought posting here may help too... i hate to bother him all the time since he works like 4-5 different jobs!
i took my refresher course back in feb 2009, but then pushed it (paramedic) to the side - my refresher sucked, everyone in there was an NREMT-P taking it for continuing education, so the instructor geared the class to them and i didnt learn a whole lot. surely didnt learn any practicals - we didnt have a manikin in the class the whole time i was there. so thats one of the main reasons i quit even thinking about it, i was super duper scared. but something ended up renewing my interest, and i jumped back into it about 1 month ago, maybe a little bit longer. and now it's coming down to the wire - my practicals are in two weeks. yikes. heading out here in a few minutes to do some more practice with my instructor friend... so nice of him to take time out of his schedule to help me out. but i thought posting here may help too... i hate to bother him all the time since he works like 4-5 different jobs!
MusicMedic
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if you go to the NREMT website they have skill checklists on what they test on:
https://www.nremt.org/nremt/About/exam_coord_man.asp#ASkillSheets
and heres a list of the practical exams u have to complete: https://www.nremt.org/nremt/downloads/Examiner Roster.pdf
i hope that helps, and good luck
im acutally hoping to eventually become a CCT RN!!
https://www.nremt.org/nremt/About/exam_coord_man.asp#ASkillSheets
and heres a list of the practical exams u have to complete: https://www.nremt.org/nremt/downloads/Examiner Roster.pdf
i hope that helps, and good luck
im acutally hoping to eventually become a CCT RN!!
i interviewed for a CCT job at one point. i wanted a PRN position, but they were scared i wouldnt get enough training as part time and wanted to hire me full time. couldnt take that, it was at least 50mi one way... some stations were close to 100mi away one way. seemed like a cool job though, for sure.
This statement sounds like you have not worked in the right EDs or ICUs.
You mentioned in another post that you had 7 years in the ED but didn't say anything about ICU/CCU.
I would suggest that until you get at least 3 years in an ICU (aggressive and progressive) that you do not attempt a CCT or Flight. You must be very proficient with IABP, hemodynamic monitors, sepsis and ARDS protocols, ventilators and EVDs along with other neuro monitoring. As a nurse you will be required to do more than babysit the pumps and will have very extensive protocols. Thus, bedside experience of many different types of patients in the ICUs will be a must. Also, if the ICUs you have available to you now are little more than "monitored med-surg" type patients, you may need to start working PRN at a larger more aggressive/progressive facility.
One you get all the necessary experience in the various ICUs and get accepted to a good Flight program, you will look at at your doubts with challenging the EMT-P and laugh. A good Flight program will train you for whatever skills you need provided you have the ICU/ED experience and education. We put our RNs through a program that gives them 20 intubations and central line placements as well as chest tubes. Some Paramedic programs may only give you 5 tubes on the manikin. You might also consider finding a state nearby that you can commute to for a PHRN course. It is geared towards RNs who already have all the sciences and basics but just need the transition into a prehospital position. Also, don't forget to do a year or two in the neo/peds ICUs. ECMO and VAD training or experience would also be helpful since these are now mobile in some places.
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I did about six months in ICU when i got out of nursing school. Unfortunately, I live in a pretty rural area and the level 2/level 1 trauma centers are all 50+ miles away from me, so I've had to "settle" for smaller hospitals/units. However, there's one miniscule advantage to working in a smaller hospital - when ICU fills up, we're "stuck" holding our ICU admissions in the ER. And unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you want to look at it), we learn to do more with less. We'll see how things go... it's just always been my dream to fly. I may never make it to that point, who knows. I may get my P, work part time at that, and fall in love and stay in a small ER full time and Paramedic part time. We shall see. But I'll definitely take the advice to heart if it comes time for me to advance to that level. Baby steps right now. 