the 100% directionless thread

HotelCo said:
I got cleared for the road today.
Tomorrow is my first shift without a preceptor, and it's a 24. :ph34r:

Feel better soon, Rob!
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Yay congrats.

And ditto to Rob. Feel better.
 
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* hands rob a cup of relaxing tea * hope you feel better.:)
 
So it's looking more and more like respiratory therapy school is in the future for me.

15 months to knock out chem, micro and a humanities class (should be plenty of time). Haven't been a student in a college setting in 7 years. Should be interesting.
 
usalsfyre said:
So it's looking more and more like respiratory therapy school is in the future for me.

15 months to knock out chem, micro and a humanities class (should be plenty of time). Haven't been a student in a college setting in 7 years. Should be interesting.
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Good luck man. I'm hoping to start knocking out pre reqs for nursing school starting in teh fall.
 
usalsfyre said:
So it's looking more and more like respiratory therapy school is in the future for me.

15 months to knock out chem, micro and a humanities class (should be plenty of time). Haven't been a student in a college setting in 7 years. Should be interesting.
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You will be an awesome RRT! I considered RRT before nursing school, I had an obsession with ventilators and blood gases. You will do great, my friend.


Thanks for the get well soon wishes guys. The exact cause of the C/p was not determined, but believed to be stress-related (watched helplessly as a friend burned to death in her car a few years back, anniversary of the event was recently, plus received some devastating news the night of the event that I wont get into). Doc told me to take it easy for a few days until I get in to see the Cardiologist. I am assuming there is a holter monitor in my future.

All in all, I think I will be okay.
 
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jtpaintball70 said:
I mght have a job back in NM! ER Tech III at a brand new ER being built in the city. Then happiness on the housing front I hope, and then start RN pre-reqs in the fall. Screw West Texas.

EDIT: Although I did get to play with these guys today

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30389818&l=8813320360&id=110000979
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Awesome! You are well on your way to being something great, my friend. I see a very successful future ahead of you, regardless of what path you choose.
 
medicRob said:
Awesome! You are well on your way to being something great, my friend. I see a very successful future ahead of you, regardless of what path you choose.
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Thanks man :) I remember someone telling me a while back that there's no downside to knowing when it's time to check out from EMS for a while... I'm getting burnt out with the attitudes out here in EMS. I figure get my RN, challenge my medic (since I actually DO have all the medic courses already and a decent amount of lead ALS experience), then work on getting my CEN, FP-C and finding a good fixed wing company. But I'll never turn my back altogether on EMS, it's been good to me so far.
EDIT: plus RN is a more stable job for a family...
 
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I hope you get feeling better Rob....you still going to be able to come down this week to the Choo-Choo?
 
jtpaintball70 said:
Thanks man :) I remember someone telling me a while back that there's no downside to knowing when it's time to check out from EMS for a while... I'm getting burnt out with the attitudes out here in EMS. I figure get my RN, challenge my medic (since I actually DO have all the medic courses already and a decent amount of lead ALS experience), then work on getting my CEN, FP-C and finding a good fixed wing company. But I'll never turn my back altogether on EMS, it's been good to me so far.
EDIT: plus RN is a more stable job for a family...
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Once you get 1,000 hours of critical care experience in, you should look toward CCRN, it is respected in ICU's and Flight Services nationally. If you want to work with a critical care ground transport unit, you should look into CTRN.

Some info on CTRN:

http://www.ena.org/statecouncils/Orientation/2008/Documents/BCENCTRNBrochure.pdf

Some info on CCRN:
http://www.aacn.org/WD/Certifications/Docs/certexamhandbook.pdf

As an RN, you will probably want CFRN over FP-C if you intend to go to flight. Your best bet would be CCRN though, because CFRN isn't recognized by all agencies (surprisingly enough).

You will get a chance through your clinicals in nursing school to work in tons of specialty areas. This will help you get a better idea of where you want to be. When I started nursing school, I thought I wanted to be an ER nurse, but then I realized Critical Care / Trauma was for me.

Also, don't discount the burn unit. Severe burns are the perfect example of complex medical situations caused by trauma. Severe burn patients are some of the most complex and challenging patients out there. Someone with your brain could be a true asset to a burn unit.
 
Thanks a lot man, I really do appreciate the advice :D As for seeing different floors, I've seen almost every floor as a tech (job title was originally Oncology Tech, but I floated everywhere and anywhere) and I know from the experience, Critical Care or EM is where I want to get my feet wet. But you are one of the people I really look up to, because you're at a spot I want to be at eventually.
And I'm open to all critical care. UNMH has several ICUs, and when I did rotations for medic in the Trauma/Burn ICU I loved it there! More than even the trauma room or the MICU. I can't wait to start nursing school and find out though. I figure experience as a nurse and maybe staying in EMS on the side to keep my certs up will help make me a semi-rounded (not just physically like I am :p) provider in all cases.
And as for CCRN vs FP-C, I just couldn't remember the different nursing certs like that and just tossed out FP-C to show I wanna do fixed wing flight :p
medicRob said:
Once you get 1,000 hours of critical care experience in, you should look toward CCRN, it is respected in ICU's and Flight Services nationally. If you want to work with a critical care ground transport unit, you should look into CTRN.

Some info on CTRN:

http://www.ena.org/statecouncils/Orientation/2008/Documents/BCENCTRNBrochure.pdf

Some info on CCRN:
http://www.aacn.org/WD/Certifications/Docs/certexamhandbook.pdf

As an RN, you will probably want CFRN over FP-C if you intend to go to flight. Your best bet would be CCRN though, because CFRN isn't recognized by all agencies (surprisingly enough).

You will get a chance through your clinicals in nursing school to work in tons of specialty areas. This will help you get a better idea of where you want to be. When I started nursing school, I thought I wanted to be an ER nurse, but then I realized Critical Care / Trauma was for me.

Also, don't discount the burn unit. Severe burns are the perfect example of complex medical situations caused by trauma. Severe burn patients are some of the most complex and challenging patients out there. Someone with your brain could be a true asset to a burn unit.
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Hmm... I might need to crash soon... It's so late it's early :p
 
But first... I think there's something that needs to be done.
 
Can't quite put my finger on it though...
 
Hmmm any ideas?
 
jtpaintball70 said:
Thanks a lot man, I really do appreciate the advice :D As for seeing different floors, I've seen almost every floor as a tech (job title was originally Oncology Tech, but I floated everywhere and anywhere) and I know from the experience, Critical Care or EM is where I want to get my feet wet. But you are one of the people I really look up to, because you're at a spot I want to be at eventually.
And I'm open to all critical care. UNMH has several ICUs, and when I did rotations for medic in the Trauma/Burn ICU I loved it there! More than even the trauma room or the MICU. I can't wait to start nursing school and find out though. I figure experience as a nurse and maybe staying in EMS on the side to keep my certs up will help make me a semi-rounded (not just physically like I am :p) provider in all cases.
And as for CCRN vs FP-C, I just couldn't remember the different nursing certs like that and just tossed out FP-C to show I wanna do fixed wing flight :p
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Check with some of your area flight services and see if they have Ride along/observer programs. These programs are usually open to EMS Providers, Dispatchers, Nursing Students, Nurses, etc. You ride 3rd for a shift with a flight crew. While you are not allowed to perform any interventions (although you can offer a hand when asked such as bagging a patient, etc), you will get to see what a day is like in HEMS). See if you can't tag along with a fixed wing team. Folks in HEMS are always willing to help out ground EMS providers in their educational endeavors and professional development.
 
medicRob said:
Check with some of your area flight services and see if they have Ride along/observer programs. These programs are usually open to EMS Providers, Dispatchers, Nursing Students, Nurses, etc. You ride 3rd for a shift with a flight crew. While you are not allowed to perform any interventions (although you can offer a hand when asked such as bagging a patient, etc), you will get to see what a day is like in HEMS). See if you can't tag along with a fixed wing team. Folks in HEMS are always willing to help out ground EMS providers in their educational endeavors and professional development.
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I've had a good relationship with SW Medevac in the past when I used to pick them up in ABQ, and that has continued out here now that they're Native Air. I might get a hold of them about fixed wing at least :) Thanks for the idea :D
 
And that gives me another thing to do... I need a two bedroom (at least) place in ABQ for when I find a job.
 
And one last thing...
 
I get 9k! :D
 
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