RN to EMT-B or EMT-P in Central Ohio

[PrettyInScrubs]

I am looking for a RN to EMT-Basic or RN to Paramedic course in Central Ohio. I contacted Grant LifeLink and they do not offer any "advanced placement" for RNs and after looking at the curriculum for EMT-B, a lot of it will be a repeat. Does anyone know of any programs that offer advanced placement for RNs? I am hoping to become a flight nurse and at least EMT-B is required. Obviously if one doesn't exist, I'll just do the EMT-B course as it stands, but I have heard people talk about such programs existing so I thought I would look into it, but haven't had any luck! All the programs I find are for the opposite route - Paramedic to RN Thanks much!

 

[truetiger]

I've never heard of any RN to EMT-B bridges. You'd be better served by just taking the regular EMT-B class. Will a lot of it be review? Yes. Will you see things from a new perspective? Yes. Will it be easy? Yes. Good BLS skills can really pay off in the field. Taking a regular EMT-B class will be a good review.

 

[Nerd13]

I would agree with truetiger on this one. If all you're shooting for is an EMT-B license your best bet is to take the whole course. It's only a 6 month course at max and you can probably find an accelerated course if you look around a bit. Some of it will be review (when is that ever a bad thing?) but some of it will be new. There are a lot of things that you deal with in the field that will be different than the hospital setting. Again, not hard, just different. I don't think you'll find any RN to EMT-B programs because it's not a comparable level of education. It would be a step backwards for most RN's.

 

[PrettyInScrubs]

I completely agree. Thank you for the insight. I noticed my local CC says they can shorten the Paramedic program for a RN from 1 year to 6-7 months. I asked them about it and they had no idea what I was talking about and said that didn't exist. Oh well - no harm in trying

 

[Oiball]

Hmm...Interesting. I believe there are a number of states that allow an RN to challenge the paramedic standards. It is somewhat controversial, but widely accepted. I think it's far more difficult to challenge paramedic to RN standards at this time.

 

[xrsm002]

If you are already an RN I would just challenge the National Registry Paramedic (it will be more advanced skills than an EMT-B).

 

[hoss42141]

Hmm...Interesting. I believe there are a number of states that allow an RN to challenge the paramedic standards. It is somewhat controversial, but widely accepted. I think it's far more difficult to challenge paramedic to RN standards at this time.

In KY if you are a RN you have to be an EMT before you can challenge the paramedic test.

 

[usalsfyre]

So let me ask...how would you feel about a paramedic "challenging" the NCLEX?

 

[mycrofft]

I looked into this in California

Although state law says EMT training schools (colleges) WILL offer such RN to EMT-B "bridging", when I contacted schools locally they all stated they would not and wanted me to take the whole nine yards (over again). UCLA, however, does have such a course; expensive, in Los Angeles, not very practicable for most of us.

They want you to take the course for two reasons I can see:
1. They stand to make a lot more money if you take the course.
2. MANY nurses are not equipped to act as EMT's, for many reasons despite being able to "ace" the exams. There is the "big fish in the little pond" issue (you have to act within the scope you are assigned at a site or on a job, yet you personally are held accountable to a higher knowledge and ethics level); many RN's can't work in mud, darkness, with cockroaches, or taking orders from a co-worker ten years their junior and trained as a paramedic; some freeze in an emergency because they are just not equipped emotionally or experientially to do it.