RN first then medic, or medic then RN???

[DesertMedic66]

CHP airship staffing does vary often. In my area in SoCal our CHP airship is usually staffed BLS (which means either a Fire medic or AMR medic has to fly in with the patient).

 

[Ridryder911]

As being of both, it all depends what your really want? There are few medics that last over 20-30 years in the field, and yes there are now more opportunities than ever before in EMS, yet it is still a very limited profession. In my personal opinion I see medics leave and go into nursing due to the primary reasons being of limited career options and pay. Yes, the majority of those that leave EMS miss the responses, their autonomy, and the comradery; but very few miss the bad points of EMS.

In review I believe there are few that initially become RN then later become Paramedic. I would say a majority of those is that it is a job requirement versus those that are Paramedic first then become a nurse. Many have great plans of becoming a Nurse/medic but the lure immediately drops after working and observing pay and benefits. I am not definitely not promoting nursing, as I have been in EMS over 30 years and nursing 26, but for a long term professional career, there are vast opportunities in nursing.

Again, it really is what you want to do and yes, with determination one can do both... but don't try to confuse that they are the same profession... they are not!

 

[TransportJockey]

Personally, i am planning on working my 20 years, taking my county pension and then going to work as an rn. I will probably be finishing my ems aas here in a semester or two, then a bs in emergency management, then a fast track bsn. Best of both worlds.
Keep in mind, ff is not the only way to do it as a career. Plenty pf city and county ems agencies to make a career at

 

[joshrunkle35]

In my area: paramedic then RN takes a lot longer and is much more expensive. RN then paramedic is much cheaper and takes less time, but a LOT of RNs have difficulty passing the paramedic exam without having taken a full paramedic course. If you're good at studying on your own, then do RN to medic as it is cheaper and faster.

 

[TransportJockey]

In my area: paramedic then RN takes a lot longer and is much more expensive. RN then paramedic is much cheaper and takes less time, but a LOT of RNs have difficulty passing the paramedic exam without having taken a full paramedic course. If you're good at studying on your own, then do RN to medic as it is cheaper and faster.

I thought a lot of the loopholes that allowed nurses to challenge the medic exam had closed? Or are you taking about bridge programs like Creighton university?

 

[Rykielz]

RN to paramedic in California only requires proving that the RN course you took meets DOT standards for the paramedic curriculum (should be included in the syllabus or graduation certificate), taking a paramedic refresher (the same one used by the NREMT), EMT, or MICN course, completing an ALS field internship with 40 ALS contacts, and then completing the NREMT manipulative skills exam and written test. You then pay the required fee after completing those steps and you'll get your paramedic license.

To whoever was wondering how you can get an ALS field internship as an RN all you need to do is contact a paramedic school or a local LEMSA office who can provide you with the necessary steps. There may be various fees involved though.

 

[hogwiley]

I would go RN.

Pays better, the school is (arguably)less stressful, the job is (arguably) less stressful, and the conditions are usually better, and the job opportunities are varied enough that if you don't like one job or one type of Nursing you can find your niche somewhere else.

 

[Carlos Danger]

I'm 20 going on 21. I want to be a medic and also want my RN. I currently work as a emt b in a 911/off company in so cal. I know medic is super competitive where I am at also. If I do RN first I can start pre courses in January. So, from a paramedics point if view, should I get my RN first then my medic? Or get my medic first then RN?

I am a paramedic who became an RN. I've had several friends do the same. I spent most of my career flying, so I've been asked many times what is the best way for someone who is interested in both EMS and nursing to get into both fields, especially if they wan to fly. My 2 cents is always the same:

• Get your EMT
• Work as an EMT, both before and during nursing school
• Go to nursing school. Preferably a 4-year program, but a 2-year program is fine as long as you start on your BSN soon after graduating the 2-year program.
• Go to work in a high acuity ICU as soon as you can after you become an RN. Move for that opportunity, if you have to.
• Continue to work part-time as an EMT
• Within a year of finishing nursing school - or as soon as you are eligible - challenge the paramedic program, and then work part-time as a paramedic.

It's a challenging and busy career path, but in 6 years or so you'll have a BSN with a couple years of ICU experience, a handful of years of EMS experience as an EMT, and a paramedic card with at least a little EMS experience as a paramedic. You are then in a perfect position to get a job as a CCT or flight nurse, get into teaching, go on to grad school to be an NP or CRNA, or just keep enjoying life doing both nursing and EMS. And you were able to work the whole time.

My other piece of advice is the slow down a little and live life. It's great to have goals that you are working towards, but don't be so focused on the future that you don't live for today. It's easy for motivated, driven people to fall into that trap.

 

[hogwiley]

I am a paramedic who became an RN. I've had several friends do the same. I spent most of my career flying, so I've been asked many times what is the best way for someone who is interested in both EMS and nursing to get into both fields, especially if they wan to fly. My 2 cents is always the same:

• Get your EMT
• Work as an EMT, both before and during nursing school
• Go to nursing school. Preferably a 4-year program, but a 2-year program is fine as long as you start on your BSN soon after graduating the 2-year program.
• Go to work in a high acuity ICU as soon as you can after you become an RN. Move for that opportunity, if you have to.
• Continue to work part-time as an EMT
• Within a year of finishing nursing school - or as soon as you are eligible - challenge the paramedic program, and then work part-time as a paramedic.

It's a challenging and busy career path, but in 6 years or so you'll have a BSN with a couple years of ICU experience, a handful of years of EMS experience as an EMT, and a paramedic card with at least a little EMS experience as a paramedic. You are then in a perfect position to get a job as a CCT or flight nurse, get into teaching, go on to grad school to be an NP or CRNA, or just keep enjoying life doing both nursing and EMS. And you were able to work the whole time.

My other piece of advice is the slow down a little and live life. It's great to have goals that you are working towards, but don't be so focused on the future that you don't live for today. It's easy for motivated, driven people to fall into that trap.

I don't necessarily disagree with anything you wrote, but keep in mind MOST states do not allow RNs to simply test out as Paramedics. In order to become a Medic you must complete Paramedic school from start to finish, pass an internship and then are eligible to take the National Registry exams.

Personally, while I respect the more in depth knowledge and education an experienced RN has, the jobs are different, and there are many RNs, including those who have worked in an ICU, who are not cut out to work the road as a medic. And yes it cuts both ways, many good medics would make horrible RNs. I don't say that to get into a pissing contest with RNs, I say it because I've personally seen it.

Being a successful paramedic requires a flexible mindset and ability to improvise that being a successful RN does not. Some RNs might be capable of this, but some just aren't.

 

[Akulahawk]

Working in an ICU gives you a very in-depth education about pathophysiology, often with several co-morbidities. That's great training in how to manage really sick people. Working on the ER is a lot like working on the street. You do have more resources available but that's often limited to what's in the department and the rest takes time. If an ICU nurse makes the transition to ER, that's the kind of nurse that you'd want going to the field, but there would still be some additional training to make that switch.

 

[Carlos Danger]

I don't necessarily disagree with anything you wrote, but keep in mind MOST states do not allow RNs to simply test out as Paramedics. In order to become a Medic you must complete Paramedic school from start to finish, pass an internship and then are eligible to take the National Registry exams.

Even if a state doesn't allow RN's to simply take the state exam and get their card, there are almost always alternatives to taking an entire paramedic program.

For example, in both my current and former states, an RN used to be able to simply take the written exam and if they passed, they got a state paramedic card in the mail a week later. That is no longer allowed in either state, but in both places there are paramedic programs that an RN can enroll in and only have to attend a few classes and do some street time and OR time and take the course final and state exam.

 

[ExpatMedic0]

I am a paramedic who became an RN. I've had several friends do the same. I spent most of my career flying, so I've been asked many times what is the best way for someone who is interested in both EMS and nursing to get into both fields, especially if they wan to fly. My 2 cents is always the same:

• Get your EMT
• Work as an EMT, both before and during nursing school
• Go to nursing school. Preferably a 4-year program, but a 2-year program is fine as long as you start on your BSN soon after graduating the 2-year program.
• Go to work in a high acuity ICU as soon as you can after you become an RN. Move for that opportunity, if you have to.
• Continue to work part-time as an EMT
• Within a year of finishing nursing school - or as soon as you are eligible - challenge the paramedic program, and then work part-time as a paramedic.

It's a challenging and busy career path, but in 6 years or so you'll have a BSN with a couple years of ICU experience, a handful of years of EMS experience as an EMT, and a paramedic card with at least a little EMS experience as a paramedic. You are then in a perfect position to get a job as a CCT or flight nurse, get into teaching, go on to grad school to be an NP or CRNA, or just keep enjoying life doing both nursing and EMS. And you were able to work the whole time.

My other piece of advice is the slow down a little and live life. It's great to have goals that you are working towards, but don't be so focused on the future that you don't live for today. It's easy for motivated, driven people to fall into that trap.

While everyone has their reasons for choosing the paths they do, I would look outside of nursing at other options to at least compare. If someone was interested in medicine and clinical practice (and not determined to be on a HEMS team or become an MD) and willing to do 6 years of education, I would highly recommend they consider PA as a direct path and goal after becoming an EMT, get a bachelors (even in EMS) and go direct to a masters PA-c program. I think its another very viable option to consider.

 

[wtferick]

As a medic? Or nurse? And question about flight, can a flight nurse respond to 911 calls also or is it just a flight medic? The city I work in uses mercy air alot but I never got the chance to speak to them

Doctors ambu?

 

[Dutch-EMT]

I'm a Dutch registered nurse (4 years bachelors degree) and working for 8 years in a regional hospital at different units.
We don't have an EMT-system in our country, and almost all ambulance services are professionals and no volunteers.
Everything is nurse-based, and there is a new education with a very limited number of students, called Bachelor Medical Rescuer.
A dozen students graduate, but no service wants them, cause they don't have any experience seeing patients.
That's what I think is great in the USA. There is much more possibility to work on the streets, be it part-time or as a volunteer.
What are the opportunities for a foreign nurse in the USA? It must be difficult to move overseas with an European Graduation.
In my volunteer rescue squad we are allowed to do most of the AEMT skills. But those certificates wouldn't be worth a thing I guess....

 

[Jn1232th]

Doctors ambu?

yes, in south orange county. we had the south cities but care took everything except laguna beach and emerald bay. probably once a week or so they fly somebody out. usually using OCFA helicopter but when there busy mercy comes in .

 

[Jn1232th]

While everyone has their reasons for choosing the paths they do, I would look outside of nursing at other options to at least compare. If someone was interested in medicine and clinical practice (and not determined to be on a HEMS team or become an MD) and willing to do 6 years of education, I would highly recommend they consider PA as a direct path and goal after becoming an EMT, get a bachelors (even in EMS) and go direct to a masters PA-c program. I think its another very viable option to consider.

i just started looking into PA actually. seems really interesting so im going try to find a PA to let me shadow them for a day or two

 

[wtferick]

yes, in south orange county. we had the south cities but care took everything except laguna beach and emerald bay. probably once a week or so they fly somebody out. usually using OCFA helicopter but when there busy mercy comes in .

Oh yes yes. I have heard it go over the OC radio. Intense Tuesday that just passed. Heard even mission was saturated lol.