Help..Nursing vs EMT

[kelschlegel]

Hello all, Iv seen a previous post about this but I didn't really seem to get an answer.
I'm scheduled to go to a university to start my 4 year nursing degree, but I just can't get EMS out of my head! I love being in the action, seeing the injuries first hand ect. (I worked as an athletic trainer in high school of four years) I want to be where the injuries are.
When I planned on going nursing route i said I would try to get into an emergency room somewhere.
Can you please give your opinion on which you feel is better/what you would do.
I thought about doing EMS, and then maybe going to nursing school if I had a change of heart? Or should I just go straight to nursing school? Please leave your input below!

 

[Flying]

Go straight for the degree.

http://emtlife.com/threads/should-i-become-an-emt-b.40759/

 

[Angel]

Do what you love but understand that pay and respect in ems is low. "Action" doesn't quite pay the bills. You're better off to become a nurse and challenge to do your medic and work PRN at one or the other.

 

[Ewok Jerky]

Well do you want to work on a truck lifting fat 'mericans all day (or all night) for $10/hr? Or would you rather work in a hospital, providing definitive care to some sick people, with scheduled breaks, 15% off at the caf, for who knows how much an hour?

Get your BSN and work CCT, or challenge the medic and pick up shifts on the road when you get the jones.

 

[Jim37F]

Besides the fact that at least for my area injuries are only maybe a quarter (or less) of our call volume, and of those, serious injuries, say those requiring a trauma center, are a distinct minority.

Now if you go get your BSN you'll be able to challenge paramedic and work part time in the field while grinding away whatever experience you'll need to get hired on at the local level 1's trauma bay then you'll be seeing all sorts of nasty injuries all day long to your hearts content

 

[COmedic17]

Would you rather be able to buy Pizza Hut pizza on Friday nights?
Or buy the cheap tortinos party pizza for a dollar on Friday nights?
That's the pay difference.

 

[niki2you]

That's so funny because Im in the same situation. I live in Florida and the nursing schools are very expensive. I took my PAX exam last Saturday and failed. It was really hard. You have to go were your heart is telling you. Yes the money is better in nursing but if you do not enjoy what your doing, is it really worth doing? Just food for thought!

 

[RebelAngel]

My daughter is 17 and plans to go into nursing. At 16 she went to school through our county to become EMR. She is currently in her senior year and going to class to become an EMT. She heard pros and cons of "wasting time" becoming an EMT with the intention of going into nursing. She decided it wasn't a waste of time to become an EMT. She can also work as an EMT, if she so chooses, while she is going to school.

 

[COmedic17]

My daughter is 17 and plans to go into nursing. At 16 she went to school through our county to become EMR. She is currently in her senior year and going to class to become an EMT. She heard pros and cons of "wasting time" becoming an EMT with the intention of going into nursing. She decided it wasn't a waste of time to become an EMT. She can also work as an EMT, if she so chooses, while she is going to school.

Yes but she's taking her EMT while in high school. She's not post phoning nursing school to get her EMT.

 

[Angel]

I really don't like questions like this, people are gonna do whatever they want to do.
If a bunch of emts and paramedics are saying "go nursing" and you don't, well why bother asking.
Most people already have their mind made up they are just looking for validation.

 

[Tigger]

I don't understand why it's a "versus" question. They are two very different career paths with not all that much overlap.

 

[Carlos Danger]

I don't understand why it's a "versus" question. They are two very different career paths with not all that much overlap.

Not that much overlap, but they complement each other well. Being a nurse will make you a better EMT or paramedic, and being an EMT or paramedic will make you a better nurse.

My advice (as someone who has done both) is always the same: take your EMT, and then go to nursing school while working PT or volunteering as an EMT. Once you are done with nursing school, challenge the paramedic, and keep working FT in nursing and PT in EMS.

 

[Ewok Jerky]

If you know you want to nurse, skip it. If you want to be a paramedic, do it. If you don't know, or want both, do EMT for a while. I don't see a point in going medic if thats not your goal. You can always challenge medic with a higher level cert/license.

Like @Remi said, there is enough overlap that it can be useful but not as a run-around to your end goal.

 

[cprted]

Go straight into nursing school. Seriously.

 

[kelschlegel]

Yes but she's taking her EMT while in high school. She's not post phoning nursing school to get her EMT.

I would do that and get best of both worlds but unfortunately my high school didn't give any kind of job training, like hers did

 

[kelschlegel]

I didn't mean to make it a versus type of question the way some are making it seem. I love being in the action, period. When I see Medstar ect with lights and sirens I always want to be up close and personal. But I had always said I would work as a BSN in a high level trauma center eventually, obviously starting out with what I can get after I pass my nclex. I was just curious on other people opinions on the subject.

 

[RebelAngel]

It wasn't at the high school. It's done through our county.

I would do that and get best of both worlds but unfortunately my high school didn't give any kind of job training, like hers did

As far as nursing vs. EMT as career, don't forget to consider your ROI. Basically, how long it will take you to "make back" the money you invested going to school to become one of those things. To become an EMT there was no cost to us because we're sponsored by our fire department. It's a four month class two nights a week for three hours and about three Saturdays a month. If we were to take the same class on our own it would be a few hundred dollars plus books. That's plenty of time to do other things and not very much at all to pay out for a certification.

Considering you want to work in a trauma center eventually, why not do EMS? In addition to possibly helping you get a job other than a serving or retail job while going for your nursing degree, you will have experience and knowledge gained that may look good on your resume for that trauma center job eventually.

 

[Akulahawk]

I didn't mean to make it a versus type of question the way some are making it seem. I love being in the action, period. When I see Medstar ect with lights and sirens I always want to be up close and personal. But I had always said I would work as a BSN in a high level trauma center eventually, obviously starting out with what I can get after I pass my nclex. I was just curious on other people opinions on the subject.

Here's an easy answer... while you're doing your prerequisites for nursing school, you could take an EMT course and at least get some idea what working in EMS is about. At that level, you'll mostly do interfacility transports, but just getting used to making patient contact is valuable. I also come from an athletic trainer background and I went into EMS for about 7 years. Yes, I got sucked in by the lights & siren. Later I had to get away from that to provide good bennies for the family, and while it was a diversion from my passion, it helped set me toward my path to becoming an RN. I'm happy to say that I'm a new grad RN who got hired into the ED of a small critical access hospital. So, it is possible to be hired directly into the specialty of your choice. I also came just "--" this close to being hired as a new grad into an ICU a couple months ago.

As an EMT, there's very little overlap in skillset between that and nursing. As a Paramedic (which I am also) there's a lot more overlap but the purposes behind what's done in the field and in the ED or even in-hospital are very different at times. In the ED, I find that using all sides of my patient care set is very useful. I must admit, though, that if I were to do some of the skills I know from my AT background while working in the ED, they might be a bit surprised that a new grad RN knows how to evaluate ortho injuries reasonably well.

 

[okiemedic]

Get your emt work in the er as a tech while going to nursing school. Build a relationship with the staff. Then when you graduate you'll have a job lined up. Ive seen this happen more times then I can count. If you crave action the er is where its at. That or med surge..

Also if your hospital is good and they like you. They will help pay or reimburse you for school.

I work in a hospital after working EMS as a basic...I have no plans on leaving until I retire.

 

[Angel]

Go straight into nursing school. Seriously.