Working EMS plus nursing ?
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VFlutter
Flight Nurse
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It all depends on your schedules. My flight job is 24 on, 24 off, 24 on, then 5 days off. So during those 5 days off I could easily fit a few shifts in at the hospital. Most hospitals have pretty flexible PRN requirements
TransportJockey
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I know plenty of single role, third service, medics that work prn for hospitals. Or prn medics that work full time at hospitals as RNs. Money is better full time as a nurse then EMS prn
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DesertMedic66
Forum Troll
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Going to depend on your schedule in the hospital and your schedule for the fire department. I personally do not know any FF/medics who are nurses.
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Sure, what you propose is doable but you'll quickly find that your salary as a full-time RN will likely be higher than working full-time as a Paramedic. Generally speaking, full-time RN + PRN Medic will be more $$$ than full-time Medic + PRN RN. Unless you've got some experience doing one role, I'd wait and get some experience doing one of the two roles before adding a second.
I'm pretty much ready to consider adding a PRN medic job in the next few months, as long as I can get a shift schedule that will mesh well with my home duties (mostly transport kid to/from school most days). Yes, I have experience as a medic so going back to it should be relatively easy compared to learning how to be an ED RN as a new grad...
I'm pretty much ready to consider adding a PRN medic job in the next few months, as long as I can get a shift schedule that will mesh well with my home duties (mostly transport kid to/from school most days). Yes, I have experience as a medic so going back to it should be relatively easy compared to learning how to be an ED RN as a new grad...
DrParasite
The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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Very doable. I know of a recent RN whom prior to completing nursing school was hired by the city FD. So after he passed his nursing boards, he started the fire academy. so 6 months after, he works 24/72 for the fire department, and PRN as an ED nurse.
I do know a few firefighters who after retiring from the FD decided to go into nursing.
Some states have bridge programs for paramedic to nurse. It's very doable, and I don't know many firefighters that don't have a second job.
I do know a few firefighters who after retiring from the FD decided to go into nursing.
Some states have bridge programs for paramedic to nurse. It's very doable, and I don't know many firefighters that don't have a second job.
hometownmedic5
Forum Asst. Chief
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In general, you and you alone will decide if you can juggle two jobs.
I know of a few people who do what you're describing and they seem to make it work. Check with your primary employer regarding second job/moonlighting regulations. Then be sure to investigate any conflicts with the secondary employer. Once you're conflict free, go to town.
One last point to consider. If you're a nurse in the ED of the primary receiving hospital in an area where you also transport patients as a paramedic, you are inevitably going to face conflict arising from both sides of the aisle. Nurses with problems regarding prehospital care. Medics with problems from the hospital staff. And there you are, right in the middle with a tent in both camps. Have a plan for dealing with that.
I know of a few people who do what you're describing and they seem to make it work. Check with your primary employer regarding second job/moonlighting regulations. Then be sure to investigate any conflicts with the secondary employer. Once you're conflict free, go to town.
One last point to consider. If you're a nurse in the ED of the primary receiving hospital in an area where you also transport patients as a paramedic, you are inevitably going to face conflict arising from both sides of the aisle. Nurses with problems regarding prehospital care. Medics with problems from the hospital staff. And there you are, right in the middle with a tent in both camps. Have a plan for dealing with that.
medichopeful
Flight RN/Paramedic
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I know one FF/medic/RN who works in the ER with me, and she knows her stuff.
gotbeerz001
Forum Deputy Chief
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Firefighters barely tolerate the paramedic skillset; why would they leave the barca lounger for more clinicals unless it was required?
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NomadicMedic
I know a guy who knows a guy.
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To be fair, not all firemedics are knuckle dragging mouth breathers.
gotbeerz001
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hometownmedic5
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Inside work, most likely not going to get seriously injured or die, and more money are probably three highly ranked answers.
gotbeerz001
Forum Deputy Chief
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If that's what they want, why'd they become a firefighter in the first place?
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hometownmedic5
Forum Asst. Chief
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The human being has been known to age and become less strong with less endurance and more aches and such. Also, believe it or not, sometimes when you've been doing something for awhile, the shine wears off and you realize its not all sunshine and roses.
I'm just guessing here though. I'm neither a firefighter nor a nurse, want to be neither, and cant read minds.
I'm just guessing here though. I'm neither a firefighter nor a nurse, want to be neither, and cant read minds.
VentMonkey
Family Guy
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I used to go the gym with a guy who was (at the time) a newly hired LAFD FF, not cross-trained.
Within a year of knowing and talking to him he was going through nursing school. One day I asked him, "Why not just get cross-trained and run on the RA (ambulance)?"
His answer was somewhere between "Why? Once those guys leave the station, they're not back until the shift is over.", and "it makes so much more sense to be a nurse; gives me more flexibility in the long run, etc."
So yeah, definitely not all knuckle dragging mouth breathers. Then again, he was an IT guy before getting on with the department.
Within a year of knowing and talking to him he was going through nursing school. One day I asked him, "Why not just get cross-trained and run on the RA (ambulance)?"
His answer was somewhere between "Why? Once those guys leave the station, they're not back until the shift is over.", and "it makes so much more sense to be a nurse; gives me more flexibility in the long run, etc."
So yeah, definitely not all knuckle dragging mouth breathers. Then again, he was an IT guy before getting on with the department.
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One of my friends back home is a Captain for an FD, works PRN as a Medic for the EMS agency and PRN as an RN.
He rarely works as a medic anymore, mostly because his department is ILS not ALS.
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He rarely works as a medic anymore, mostly because his department is ILS not ALS.
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Summit
Critical Crazy
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Nursing makes for aches and soreness at a much higher rate than ambo work... only SAR can top nsg. Look at the industrial injury rates... CNAs beat out RNs but not by much.
hometownmedic5
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Sure. Walking around the floor pushing a computer on wheels and carrying pills is pretty demanding work. I can't imagine how stair chairing a 300lb invalid down 2 flights could possibly compete with all the twisted ankles caused by the ridiculous shoes they wear.
VFlutter
Flight Nurse
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Ha I won't even touch that one...
hometownmedic5
Forum Asst. Chief
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For the record, both parents are/were nurses, so I fully and completely understand that there is some physicality involved in nursing and with that the potential for injury. To say it's more than EMS work to me sounds ridiculous, but it also becomes a stats game. They(nurses) can report more problems and get paid for their time off than I as a private service medic can.
I have no union protection. If I reported every ache and sprain I got at work, I would lose my job. Not for work related injuries of course, but on some other pretense. The nurses union in this states is almost infinitely powerful.
Stats on work related injuries to me are only grossly related to actual injuries suffered.
I have no union protection. If I reported every ache and sprain I got at work, I would lose my job. Not for work related injuries of course, but on some other pretense. The nurses union in this states is almost infinitely powerful.
Stats on work related injuries to me are only grossly related to actual injuries suffered.