CNA or EMT

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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I'm not sure what category this question would be under, so please move it if it doesn't belong here. Thank you.

Hello everyone,

I have a question regarding what looks better on a resume. Any and all advice will be appreciated. I got out of the Army a year ago and got myself enrolled into pre-nursing courses at my local CC. I was a medic in the Army and I still have my EMT-B certification, but it is expiring soon! (This coming March). I will be finished with my BSN nursing pre-reqs this fall and if I get accepted into a bsn program, the earliest I could start would be summer/fall 2017. ������ I'm a big time planner. Everything is planned so I'm trying to figure out which path would benefit me more in the future. I could either take a few ceu's and renew my emt cert and work as an emt-b until I start nursing school, or take a short CNA course and work until nursing school. I don't plan on working an ER or ICU nursing position in the future so I'm not sure if working as an emt could benefit me much rather than working as a cna for a year before school. My ultimate goal is to become a CNM, so anything near L&D ill fight for.

My big question, what would look better on a new grad's resume? Emt or cna? Thank you in advance for taking the time to read & hopefully answer.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

First of all, I would suggest NOT letting your EMT cert go. If you do, getting it back could require that you take the entire course all over again. That would be a waste of your time. Since you want to become a nurse, you probably would do yourself "one better" by taking a CNA course and working as a CNA. You'll learn the very basics of nursing by doing that. You won't learn why you do something but you will know how to do it and as you go through nursing school, you'll learn the why.

I my case, I'm also a Paramedic. I have not let my license go as it would be very costly to get it back should I desire to work in the field again.

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Specializes in Informatics.

Probably depends on where you want to work as well - if you want to go to an ED then working as an EMT would be most beneficial. CNA's do a lot of bedside care so you would benefit as you can see a lot of what goes on and the local hospitals around here hire from within their own CNA/Nurse Tech pools before they outside hire.

Absolutely keep the EMT cert current and list everything you have on an application.

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I am currently an EMT working as a nursing assistant on a direct admit unit, while in nursing school! If you can get a job as a nursing assistant without obtaining your CNA, then I would suggest just doing that. At my hospital (Orlando, Florida) you only need either your CNA, EMT, PMD, or be a 2nd year BSN student to get a NA job.

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Specializes in ED, Pedi Vasc access, Paramedic serving 6 towns.

I would say it all depends on what your end goal is.

If you are leaning towards flight medicine I would work as an EMTB and then get your RN, and possible go to school for your medic. In my opinion EMTB would be more helpful with nursing since you would actually be assessing patients and not just helping them get cleaned up or eat their dinner.

Annie

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I'm not sure what category this question would be under, so please move it if it doesn't belong here.
We moved this thread to our CNA forum. Good luck to you!
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I would not let any certification expire--you never know when you will need it.

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Thank you for all the tips & advice.

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EMT would be the best. They associate it with higher education and skill set.

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Most community colleges give you extra points towards admission for having an EMT but not for having a CNA. Either title will land you a job in a hospital. Check with your CC to see which certification will take you further.

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To echo what others have said, don't let your EMT certification/license expire! I'm an EMT myself and I know how much work it takes, plus it does look really good on a resume. As far as working as a CNA or an EMT, do you like being an EMT? I am also a CNA, but I like EMT better because I can actually do stuff. Right now I work as a CNA at a hospital, my job mostly consists of vitals and ADLs (toileting, dressing, etc.) and is rather boring and unchallenging and doesn't require much critical thinking (I can't wait until my 6 months are up and I can maybe transfer to the ER as a tech!). When I'm on calls as an EMT I can do assessments, certain med administration, stuff that actually requires some critical thinking and medical knowledge. Being a CNA is beneficial because the day-to-day care aspects are things that I will still be doing as a nurse, but EMS is way better preparing me for critical thinking, assessments, interventions etc that I will also be doing when I am a nurse.

Definitely don't ditch your EMT certification even if you end up doing CNA as well.

And thank you for your service to our country!!

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Specializes in Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner.

Honestly, I think either would prepare you. For sure, don't let your EMT cert expire. Since you have experience as a medic in the military, I would think you could find an EMT job easily.

People say CNA route is better for nursing, but if I could do it over again, I'd do EMT over CNA. You don't employ a whole lot of thinking as a CNA. There were a few EMTs in my nursing program.

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