Wallet card/wall cert

[DesertMedic66]

Me? Yeah, I said I read it in the OP, brother.

I was jw if they also sent a real one like the old times past... something a little more legit than something I print out and gets all chewed up over time. (Come to think of it, the ones they used to send used to get chewed up also, but a flimsy printer paper card seems like weak sauce).

Print it out and then laminate it. I’ve done this with every single paper card I have ever received and even after 4 years in my wallet they still look new.

 

[DrParasite]

The only "wall certificates" I have received were my original in 1984, one for 20 years, and then one for 30 years.

After 20 years, you have paid NREMT $200 in renewal fees; at 30 years, they have made $300 off you. If you are a paramedic, the numbers go up to $250 after 20 years, and $375 after 40. For that money, the least they can do is sending you a cert you can hang on your wall.

Considering most states require a state cert to practice, and simply maintaining your NR doesn't qualify (in most states, there are some that use the NR as the state cert, so don't jump on me for this), lately I have been questioning if it is working to maintain my NR. Now if they sent me a wall cert after 10 years, I would be more inclined to keep it, esp if my employer was paying the renewal fee.

Sorry for the tanget

 

[NomadicMedic]

I move enough that it's worth it. It's far easier to keep it up then to go back and get it.

 

[Rubicon Bob]

After 20 years, you have paid NREMT $200 in renewal fees; at 30 years, they have made $300 off you. If you are a paramedic, the numbers go up to $250 after 20 years, and $375 after 40. For that money, the least they can do is sending you a cert you can hang on your wall.

Considering most states require a state cert to practice, and simply maintaining your NR doesn't qualify (in most states, there are some that use the NR as the state cert, so don't jump on me for this), lately I have been questioning if it is working to maintain my NR. Now if they sent me a wall cert after 10 years, I would be more inclined to keep it, esp if my employer was paying the renewal fee.

Sorry for the tanget

To each their own, as a career Paramedic, I really don't understand what is so difficult about $10/year (or so).

In my case it helped me get a Part Time gig in NJ, where I worked for 27 years, seemed to me to be worth $10/year (or so).

At my Full Time gig it allowed me to make an additional $1 an hour ($2080/yr. w/o even talking about the OT) since about 2011, and I received a $300 bonus before that, and other promotions, seems to me to be worth $10/year (or so).

We wonder why our profession is looked upon so poorly, and yet look at how so many people only want to survive and maintain their job at the "lowest" level possible.

Last, but not least, something I have noticed in my over 40 years in EMS and 36 years as a career Paramedic, is those that mock National Registry the hardest, usually were those that were unable to pass it (at least back in the day, now it seems to be the "in" thing to mock it).

These are just my thoughts and beliefs, perhaps yours are different, and that's fine also.

 

[DrParasite]

At my Full Time gig it allowed me to make an additional $1 an hour ($2080/yr. w/o even talking about the OT) since about 2011, and I received a $300 bonus before that, and other promotions, seems to me to be worth $10/year (or so).

damn, you got an extra $1 an hour just for maintaining your NR? then it's absolutely worth it. Truth be told, the only place I know that gave extra money for NR is a department in upstate NY. I know my agency doesn't give anything extra, nor does the county ems system. If you get paid more for NR (either hourly or as an annual bonus), than by all means get and keep it. It shows that your employer values you a little more for having your NR cert.

For full disclosure, I've had my NR since 2014, when I decided to leave NJ and move south. It wasn't required when I got into EMS in 1998, nor when I worked in NY, so I didn't see any reason to get it. I won't mock anyone for getting it, and encourage all of my EMT students to take the exam, even though it's more expensive than the state exam. If nothing else, you get a fancy cert that is framable on the wall.

 

[SandpitMedic]

I keep that thang on me. Never know when it’ll come in handy... like going on a COVID contract to make more than most medic salaries in just a few months.

 

[DrParasite]

I figured I would bump this thread because I did learn something new about the wall cert, while I was waiting on my NR renewal to be processed: even if you were sent a hard copy back in the day, you can download a digital version of your original wall cert from the NR website, with the original dates on it.

As someone who scans all his paper certs, and keeps the hard copies in a 3 ring binder, I will say the new digital cert looks a lot nicer on the computer than the scanner paper version. Also, I need to buy some frames for some of the certs.

As an aside, the only thing I have displayed at work is my college degree, but I was able to get it engraved in a piece of wood for $75 from Etsy's LightningDesignStore and while prices have gone up because the price of wood has doubled over the past year (but they have a 25% off sale currently going on), it's definitely something I don't regret. my NREMT wall cert would be on the short list of things I would do also (I really do need to frame more of my certificates and decorate my home office). But I might look at laser engraving something on glass too, from Etsy's BrainBinge site

 

[EpiEMS]

I was able to get it engraved in a piece of wood for $75 from Etsy's LightningDesignStore and while prices have gone up because the price of wood has doubled over the past year

Oh, now that is snazzy.

Apropos to the original thread, I actually ordered a replacement NR card because I didn't think to print & laminate.

 

[Fezman92]

Crap, this reminded me that I forgot to get mine renewed.