Thinking of Becoming an EMT

[ecphotoman]

I work as a Emergency Room Security Officer. I see what you guys do every day and it seems really exciting, and like your making a difference in the world. I would like to do what you guys do.

I initially wanted to become a RN eventually. I'm working on Gen ED right now, so I have latitude to change my major at this point. Anyway, I see what you guys do and being a paramedic looks so much more challenging and fulfilling to me.

For starters I need to get a EMT-B cert, most schools in my area require a year working on a rig which makes sense.

How much do EMT-B / paramedics make per hour starting out(respectively)?
I live in socal, San Bernardino County specifically.

I appreciate your input, thanks in advance.

 

[Arovetli]

I work as a Emergency Room Security Officer. I see what you guys do every day and it seems really exciting,

NO

and like your making a difference in the world.

NO

I would like to do what you guys do.

NO

I initially wanted to become a RN eventually.

YES

I'm working on Gen ED right now, so I have latitude to change my major at this point.

YES

Anyway, I see what you guys do and being a paramedic looks so much more challenging and fulfilling to me.

NO

For starters I need to get a EMT-B cert, most schools in my area require a year working on a rig which makes sense.

NO

How much do EMT-B / paramedics make per hour starting out(respectively)?

NO

I live in socal, San Bernardino County specifically.

NO

I appreciate your input, thanks in advance.

YES

See above.


P.S. I enjoyed the hell out of being a medic.

 

[ExpatMedic0]

I imagine your hospital security guard job pays more and has better benefits than the EMT's you see. Ask them for yourself.
If you wanna become a Paramedic with a degree that is another story, but don't expect to make a ton doing it. I have no idea how much medics make in your area. Many private ambulance companies may start out at around 40k per year for Paramedic, EMT's make less. As an EMT I started at 8 bucks an hour

 

[All Ryle Dup]

San Berdooo is a big place. Where at specifically? And although Arovetli had a wise *** way of saying it, I do agree with most of his post.

You will make less than people on welfare unless you literally work 6 or 7 12-hour shifts; you likely still won't have a decent retirement plan after that (if you even have one at all in EMS.) Just go straight to RN if that's your end game.
It does have its rewards, don't get me wrong, but if you're looking for fun and excitement--- well, lets just say everything gets old. Also, if by changing the world you mean being pissed on(figuratively and sometimes literally) and underappreciated then yes, I change the world everyday. The key is loving what you do. I'm not saying don't try it out... It's only a semester course at Crafton, and you could get a part time gig just to see if its for you. But it's not a TV show, just remember that... I still love it though. Good luck.

 

[ecphotoman]

Damn...I was hoping to quit doing what I'm doing now because I'm underappreciated and get pissed on, spit on, bitten and anything else our ETOH or psych patients may try to throw our way. I figured as an EMT I could at least feel like I was making a difference. I'm really burnt out on Security and would hate to keep doing it while I'm still in school.

What I do know is that I want to help people, and I'm not doing that now.

I'm in the Ontario / Upland area of SB.

I appreciate all the honest feedback guys.

 

[All Ryle Dup]

Ontario/Upland

You work at SACH?

 

[All Ryle Dup]

I used to work for AMR Rancho a few years ago... PM me if you want to know more about that company.

 

[ecphotoman]

I used to work for AMR Rancho a few years ago... PM me if you want to know more about that company.

Thanks!

 

[VA Transport EMT]

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i've been doing clinicals for two weeks and love it!

 

[chaz90]

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i've been doing clinicals for two weeks and love it!

Maybe I'm alone in this, but this is an EMS forum. Yes, nursing as a whole has higher wages, better working conditions, and a much better lobbying system in place, but there are still viable places to work as a paramedic in high functioning systems! I'm not knocking you in any way for wanting to be a nurse. It is a completely different career path than medic though, and I think some people are far more strongly suited for one over the other. Investigate both careers fully, and decide what you feel is a better fit for you.

 

[jefftherealmccoy]

Maybe I'm alone in this, but this is an EMS forum. Yes, nursing as a whole has higher wages, better working conditions, and a much better lobbying system in place, but there are still viable places to work as a paramedic in high functioning systems! I'm not knocking you in any way for wanting to be a nurse. It is a completely different career path than medic though, and I think some people are far more strongly suited for one over the other. Investigate both careers fully, and decide what you feel is a better fit for you.

I' m with you on this one. I love being a medic. Yeah, you get the crappy psych calls and 90% of the people we respond to could just drive themselves if they wern't on welfare, but that 10% is worth it in my mind. Gimme a good car wreck or cardiac arrest once a month and I'm good being a taxi for the rest.

 

[ecphotoman]

I' m with you on this one. I love being a medic. Yeah, you get the crappy psych calls and 90% of the people we respond to could just drive themselves if they wern't on welfare, but that 10% is worth it in my mind. Gimme a good car wreck or cardiac arrest once a month and I'm good being a taxi for the rest.

I'm on the fence about either one right now. I'm still not sure whether I should try for paramedic or nursing. I just want to make a difference and help people. The money aspect is not hugely important, a modest wage is fine for me. The only nursing I would want to do anyway would be trauma or emergency. I love excitement and working under pressure.

 

[ExpatMedic0]

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[MrJones]

No, you're not. I have as much desire to be a nurse as I do to be a fire fighter/medic. Which is to say, none.

 

[Handsome Robb]

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i've been doing clinicals for two weeks and love it!

Get that outta here.

This is an EMS forum, you wanna be a RN fanboy take it over to allnurses.

How is your post helpful at all?

 

[Handsome Robb]

No, you're not.

 

[NomadicMedic]

Folks, lets play nice.

...because now I'M watching this thread.

 

[VFlutter]

Get that outta here.

This is an EMS forum, you wanna be a RN fanboy take it over to allnurses.

How is your post helpful at all?

I am the biggest fan boy on the forum and even I found that post excessive

 

[Arovetli]

Being able to type the word nursing over and over again will help you with the critical skill of repetitive tasks when you are charting the q5 second vitals.

I kid!


OP, look, there is nothing wrong with either field. Just have a plan for what you want to do with your career. EMS is great but you can easily hit a brick wall within a few years and stagnate professionally. There are some really good gigs, but there is not many and the competition is stiff.

Just do what you want and have a general plan for where you want to go with your career, and let everything you do, whether education or experience, be a staircase to get you there.

 

[jnsangel33]

I am an EMT-b.... it has it's "exciting" moments. I work for Symons Ambulance out of Devore (but run out of Murrieta). I really enjoy it, quite honestly. I am eventually going to move on to bigger and better things this career has to offer, but for now, while getting my time in, I like it. For the most part, we are transporting dialysis patients to and from, or we are transporting ER discharge patients. On occasion there is a CCT call or an ER call or even the 5150s in the middle of the night when working the 24/hr shifts (which are the shifts I prefer)..... What I am trying to say is GO FOR IT. You need the hours to advance further anyhow, so do it and enjoy it.