EMS vs Nursing questions

[Tfuse]

Hello,

Well after three months of nearly killing myself and crying after work as a CNA in a low grade nursing home, the oppurtunity to pursue my dream job in EMS has finally come up. I will be taking a 9 week course to become an EMT-Basic and then work on an Ambulance after. I absolutely hated being a CNA and the whole nursing field period to be quite frank. My fisrt few nights as a CNA were beyond bad!!! I often work as the only CNA for about 13 residents by myself with no help, and you cant get no help, because when the other CNAs on the night shift are finished there rounds there watching TV and texting on there phones. I would often have to change 300 pound people by myself I would literally be sweating buckshots when i would finish. I am always behind on my work my shift is 10pm to 6am and i would always leave at around 6:45 cause I am always so behind. Not to mention we have an LPN who has been fired from every other facility in the area, who will literaly write people up for the smallest wrinkle in a drawsheet. Then I had to put lipstick and bras on women something I did not want to do, nor did I know how to do because I am a male. TO ME FROM MY EXPERIENCE working in a nursing home as a CNA is like working in an ER, you have to move with an ER pace to get your work done!! IM BEYOND FED UP WITH THAT JOB and CANT WAIT to quit in 2 weeks and begin career in EMS!! PLEASE TELL ME THAT being an EMT-Basic is not as stressfull and overwhleming physically day in and day out like THIS JOB!! Thanks!!

 

[Jambi]

I wouldn't judge nursing on one job; especially a job in a SNF.

There's lots of opportunity in the nursing field. Not so much in EMS.

 

[NYMedic828]

 

[VFlutter]

Hello,
PLEASE TELL ME THAT being an EMT-Basic is not as stressfull and overwhleming physically day in and day out like THIS JOB!! Thanks!!

 

[RocketMedic]

Tfuse, first, congratulations on finding a way to work in a field you're interested in.

Now, some recommendations:
1. Nursing is not CNA-LPN-RN, nor is EMS EMT-Paramedic. The entry-level roles are just that, entry-level, and can be skipped or circumvented. This especially applies in nursing.
2. Being a CNA, especially in a SNF, deeply blows. I personally hate even being there for a few minutes, and I can definitely see where you're coming from. However, being an EMT-B isn't all glamor either- we often have the same problems and less pay. EMS, however, generally makes far, far less than nursing at any equivalent level.

Depending on how old you are, how physically fit you are, and what your family situation is, you may want to consider your options regarding government service, the military, or private EMS.

For instance, if you're the average 20-something y/o male with a spouse, GF, and a kid (maybe), you could go on active duty for 3 years, lock up a fairly sweet GI bill ($81,000 if you elect to take the post 9/11), earn free EMT-B certification at Ft. Sam (meh), and earn a decent salary (married, you're looking at 30-40k/yr, depending on station and decision to collect housing allowance or live on-post), and you'll work wildly outside your generic EMT scope of practice, with decent promotion options (including LPN or RN enlisted-to-officer programs, PA, etc).

It's not for everyone, but if you're a healthy(ish) person, it may be a good choice for you.

PM me if you'd like to know more.

EDIT: I came in as a brand-new EMT-I/85 at the ripe old age of 19. I just got out as a Paramedic (NOT through the Army, took a medic mill course on my down-time) and got picked up by a great agency a week after I started terminal leave, for responsibility far in excess of most military medics, pay and benefits that are competitive anywhere in the nation for a paramedic and roughly equivalent to a 10-year NCO (E5/6) or junior officer, and decent job security. I didn't learn a lot of skills in the Army (at least not applicable ones) and I really didn't do much crazy stuff, but I grew up a lot, learned how to teach, to lead, and how to mentor. I also was able to work part-time on weekends for the past two years and earned considerably more than my peers even while I was in (both monetarily and in experience).

It's not perfect and it's got a lot of unrepairable flaws, but even for a few years, it's not bad. Some people love it. YMMV.

 

[EMS166]

Well this job is stressful too... Different type of stress, like carrying someone down 3 flights of steps or doing CPR for 10 min to the hospital ... If your looking for stress free- healthcare in general isn't the route to go lol- you have to love your job, love working with people, and love not knowing what could happen next. I'm a CNA and EMT and worked everywhere from nursing homes to level 1 trauma centers ERs... So I speak from both sides. Yes EMT can be a bit more exciting or less tedious then nursing homes but make sure your doing EMS for the right reasons or you will hate it as much as the nursing home ... Best of luck!

 

[WTEngel]

I get pretty irritated with CNA academies and training centers painting the C A career field to be brighter than it really is. I feel like they give a false expectation that becoming a CNA makes you essentially capable of filling a nursing role, which it does not.

I don't even want to think about how much you paid to become a CNA. The odds are you could have gotten your ASN and become an RN for as much if not less money, and been much happier with the work environment.

Working in healthcare is similar to the military, except in the place of rank we substitute education and professional credentials. The more education and professional credentials you build up, generally the more satisfying your job is, and the scut work you have to do is kept to a minimum. Granted there is more liability the higher you go up on the chain also.

The moral of the story, go big or go home. There are no shortcuts when it comes to education and credentialing. Any school advertising the standard, "you can become a valuable member of the healthcare team in only 4 weeks." line is lying. It's best to just go straight to nursing, paramedic, medical, PA, or whatever school straight away rather than screw around with some MA or CNA position.

Just my opinion. I'm sure their are decent CNA jobs out there, I bet thy are few and far between though.

 

[ExpatMedic0]

Just my opinion. I'm sure their are decent CNA jobs out there, I bet thy are few and far between though.

Agreed. PS: Travis good to see your still lurking about these parts.

 

[mycrofft]

Doc in the boxes are hiring CNAs and shunning RNs.

To paraphrase a book title, "The doctor doesn't keep you alive, the CNA does".

CNAs deserve far better than they get from their employers in pay, working conditions, and workloading.

 

[EMS166]

The moral of the story, go big or go home. There are no shortcuts when it comes to education and credentialing. Any school advertising the standard, "you can become a valuable member of the healthcare team in only 4 weeks." line is lying. It's best to just go straight to nursing, paramedic, medical, PA, or whatever school straight away rather than screw around with some MA or CNA position.

Just my opinion. I'm sure their are decent CNA jobs out there, I bet thy are few and far between though.[/QUOTE]

I'm sorry I have do disagree - some CNA jobs are decent ... I work weekend option in the ER as a CNA and make more then some medics - plus they pay for you to go back to school and you can learn a lot being a CNA not to mention if you do move on to to higher education you have a greater understanding and aprreciation for "the little people" ... I see all the time new nurse graduates who have never had patient contact and get into there clinicals and it's not what they thought it was. I think thats the biggest reason they want u to be an EMT for awhile before you go for your medic. Im not agrueing that CNA work is hard and can suck at times, but you can learn a lot, see a lot that will help you in a future career... Just my point of view anyways

 

[Tired of Being a CNA]

CNA’s are tired of being taken advantage of. We are tired of being underpaid, unappreciated and overworked. We are tired of being treated like maids instead of healthcare professionals. We are tired of employers looking at us being as replaceable as toilet paper. If you are a CNA or thinking about becoming one you might want to hear from others who already have the job, at a CNA forum ( tiredofbeingacna ), it’s not at all what they tell you it’s going to be, it's a lot worse.

 

[STXmedic]

CNA’s are tired of being taken advantage of. We are tired of being underpaid, unappreciated and overworked. We are tired of being treated like maids instead of healthcare professionals. We are tired of employers looking at us being as replaceable as toilet paper. If you are a CNA or thinking about becoming one you might want to hear from others who already have the job, at a CNA forum ( tiredofbeingacna ), it’s not at all what they tell you it’s going to be, it's a lot worse.

So how are you enjoying being a CNA?

 

[gotbeerz001]

CNA’s are tired of being taken advantage of. We are tired of being underpaid, unappreciated and overworked. We are tired of being treated like maids instead of healthcare professionals. We are tired of employers looking at us being as replaceable as toilet paper. If you are a CNA or thinking about becoming one you might want to hear from others who already have the job, at a CNA forum ( tiredofbeingacna ), it’s not at all what they tell you it’s going to be, it's a lot worse.

I've never understood when people complain about the line of work they have chosen. If you don't like your job, do something different.

 

[Angel]

I've never understood when people complain about the line of work they have chosen. If you don't like your job, do something different.

and can we collectively roll our eyes. either this is a bait post or someone shouldve 'aimed higher'. what do you expect? becoming a CNA is like what? a 2 week course? its not meant to be a career, im not even sure of the point of the cert because 'they' really cant do much as far as patient care is concerned.

 

[Summit]

CNA’s are tired of being taken advantage of. We are tired of being underpaid, unappreciated and overworked. We are tired of being treated like maids instead of healthcare professionals. We are tired of employers looking at us being as replaceable as toilet paper. If you are a CNA or thinking about becoming one you might want to hear from others who already have the job, at a CNA forum ( tiredofbeingacna ), it’s not at all what they tell you it’s going to be, it's a lot worse.

CNA's aren't healthcare professionals. They just qualify as semi-skilled labor. 2 weeks later a new class is done. And that is why the pay is low.

A good CNA is worth their weight in gold. Work as a CNA for a VA hospital and you'll make more money than a paramedic workign for AMR and have better benefits.

Being an EMT is a lot like being a CNA, except the pay is worse, the working environment is usually better, and the adrenaline is higher.

 

[TimRaven]

It's best to just go straight to nursing, paramedic, medical, PA, or whatever school straight away rather than screw around with some MA or CNA position.

Except that in a lot of areas, you can't even apply to those schools without experience as EMTB, CNA or CMA first.