Paramedic vs. RN

catskills said:
I asked this question to a paramedic in the Hudson Valley who also works as an RN in the ER. He also teaches RN classes. He said that he earns more money as a paramedic versus part time nurse. It depends on the hospital and employer.
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What about the number of hours for each? While some Paramedics state they make more yearly than RNs, they do have many more hours put in if they are FT. The RN will be considered FT at 32 or 36 hours per week and still make a decent living.
 
VentMedic said:
What about the number of hours for each? While some Paramedics state they make more yearly than RNs, they do have many more hours put in if they are FT. The RN will be considered FT at 32 or 36 hours per week and still make a decent living.
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The comparison was pay per hour without benefits.
 
46Young said:
Okay, let's talk reality for a moment. You're a single mom. You need money. Your job is willing to accomodate you going to medic school. If you skip that in lieu of enrollment in RN school, you'll be struggling financially for several years (I'm assuming your child/children are not teenagers that can do PT work to help), or even more after repaying loans. You can complete the medic program while enjoying an accomodating work schedule. You can now get to work on the 3 semester medic-RN bridge while earning a medic salary. You'll still have your RN in roughly the same amount of time that you would've if you did it instead of medic school. You'll also have your medic cert. you can decide which career you like more, and use the other cert/license to earn side $$$'s. Medic school > medic > RN bridge seems like the most financially/family friendly option in your case.

Going to a traditional RN program would be optimal, but isn't feasible for many working professionals. That's why online and fast track programs exist. Online bridge programs have been villianized repeatedly on this forum, but it's the only option for some. I can understand the requirement for clinical hours, though.
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This does make the most sense...Which online program is the best for paramedic to RN bridge? Also, if you are a medic and go to an RN program do you still need the prerequisites? I live in upstate NY, I'm not sure if they allow the online bridge program...
 
villagegirl127 said:
This does make the most sense...Which online program is the best for paramedic to RN bridge? Also, if you are a medic and go to an RN program do you still need the prerequisites? I live in upstate NY, I'm not sure if they allow the online bridge program...
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Yes you still have to meet all requirements. And more and more states are not recognizing the online bridge. Plus it is cheaper to do it regular school than online. Also many people are not able to remain focused enough to do an online program Many start few finish.
 
I make more than double as an RN (per hour), than I do as a paramedic.

It has been said many times before - this has a lot to do with education and licensure, rather than the degree of manual skills and training.
 
I can't believe people make more per hour as a paramedic than as a RN. Even as a flight medic I made far less than I made when I was hired as a new nurse.
 
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Scott33 said:
I make more than double as an RN (per hour), than I do as a paramedic.

It has been said many times before - this has a lot to do with education and licensure, rather than the degree of manual skills and training.
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It also has to do with some cultural and political differences as well. RN's (and nurses in general) learned a long time ago that they, as a group, must work together to improve their professional status. They've come a VERY long way in the past 60-70 years. States that require degrees and licensure of Paramedics still have pay differences between the two groups. In my experience, getting Paramedics to work together on pretty much anything in the political arena (it can take legislation to improve some parts of scope of practice) has been about as easy as herding cats.

In the long run, at least at the Paramedic level, I see no reason why a Paramedic can't have equivalent pay and similar scope of practice as an RN... given the appropriate education and recognition of that education. RN's would be the hospital specialists while Paramedics would be the Transport specialists... and there would be no need to have a CCT-RN as the Paramedics would fill that role competently.

Daring to dream big... and what I think the future for Paramedicine should be all over the United States, not just relatively isolated pockets.
 
RN's make around 50K a year in the Seattle area from what I can find. No idea what Paramedics make. I'm going for paramedic and plan to get my RN, where I go will depend on where my heart is, not my wallet.
 
50k in the Seatle area? That's a little hard to believe. Let me do some research :D

I was looking at a travel job (which does pay more) and it was around 45/hr in the Oregon, Washington, California area.
 
So, in your other post you stated they made 50k and in the last post, the 10th percentile makes about 57k (which that is a VERY low percentage of RNs in the Seattle area) and the majority making between 63 and 77k per year.

Which is it?
 
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catskills said:
I asked this question to a paramedic in the Hudson Valley who also works as an RN in the ER. He also teaches RN classes. He said that he earns more money as a paramedic versus part time nurse. It depends on the hospital and employer.
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According to indeed, paramedics make 50k and RN's 73k (8k more a year than my area).

What does this RN teacher guy do? Work 4 hours a week as a Nurse?

Link for RN

http://www.indeed.com/salary?q1=RN&l1=hudson+valley

Link for paramedic

http://www.indeed.com/salary?q1=paramedic&l1=hudson+valley
 
medic_texas said:
So, in your other post you stated they made 50k and in the last post, the 10th percentile makes about 57k (which that is a VERY low percentage of RNs in the Seattle area) and the majority making between 63 and 77k per year.

Which is it?
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I tend to roll with low estimates so I used 50K rather they setting a higher estimate without knowing skills/education of others.
 
That_Guy said:
In WA, an Paramedic makes around $18-22 an hour. EMT-B, you'll never see one outside a FD. so I've never heard of anything regarding the hourly pay. but they make a min of $50K per year if fulltime. (or $40K, it depends completely on the department) pretty much the same as LPNs and RNs. with exception RNs in my area of WA. can make anywhere from $18 to $86 per hour depending soly on their specializations. aka, persuing education beyond the "basic" Registered Nurse. Flight Nurses make almost $65k per year (just like Flight Medics, depending on hospital) if you're a Emergency Room, Critical Care, and Ultrasound/Electro Kardio Gram qualified. you're talking almost $74K per year. With Surgical Technologist, and Phlebotemy certifications on top of the above mentioned, you're a $104K per year asset. (they can throw you anywhere needed, and can double up with a surgical procedure on the spot, and use specialized equipment. In other words, you save them from having to hire 4+ more people)

For Nursing, all the Nurses I know (been talking extensively to quite a few, as well as Paramedics) the more specialized training you get into/persue (with your own money, fyi) and the more specialized skills you have vs generic RN. The better, and higher your pay is going to be. Like a Nurse Anesthesiologist (although you need to have an MSN to get that specialty) makes roughly $270K per year average in WA. one at Harborview I've questioned quite a bit, she makes $285K per year, because she has more than aneastisology certifications. She's ER, and Surgical Tech qualified as well, Surgical Tech certification saves her hospital from hiring one. (so they get 4 people int he operating room VS 6, because another Nurse on her surgical team is Surgical Technologist qualified as well, giving her an additional $15K per year, vs having to spend $45K per year for an employee on payroll)
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I live in Washington and was curious as to who the lady who is a surgical tech, ER and aneastisology certifications. If possible I would like to be able to get int oucdh with them to find out all the classes, programs and certifications she has.. thats what i want to do but i have no idea how or where to start!!
 
I have the Post-Retirement Phil Collins Syndrome

"I don't care anymore".

Nursing offers more than pay. Much wider opportunities than paramedic and fewer opportunities for injury. Unions. Benefits.

In facy I'm trying to get a chance to test back into EMT-B without taking the curriculum. Gimme two weeks with the text and EMTLIFE and I'm good to go.
 
mycrofft said:
"I don't care anymore".

Nursing offers more than pay. Much wider opportunities than paramedic and fewer opportunities for injury. Unions. Benefits.

In facy I'm trying to get a chance to test back into EMT-B without taking the curriculum. Gimme two weeks with the text and EMTLIFE and I'm good to go.
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Two whole weeks?



I'm disapointed in you. It should take you two DAYS :P
 
catskills said:
Interesting comment. My experience is that RNs are weak in their EMT-B trauma skills and Pt assessment out in the field.
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My experience is that EMT-Bs are weak at patient assessment period.

Since we want to play this game of measure the medical instrument piece game...
 
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