RN to Paramedic Bridge Course

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PA-C in Texas

88 Posts

I really don't want to rain on anybody's parade, but the fact that someone can go to school for two weeks and walk out a Paramedic really frightens me. There are many advanced procedures Paramedics perform that I just don't believe two weeks can prepare you for. Are you ready to do a rapid sequence induction/intubation? Surgical airway? Needle thoracentesis? Pericardiocentesis? These are all things that many flight programs have in their protocols. I believe that the fields are separate and that proficiency in one does not necessarily denote proficiency in the other. I still maintain my paramedic license here in Texas, and I don't think any of you would be impressed if some college around here started a 2 week Paramedic to RN bridge course. Why? Because you recognize that it cannot be taught in that amount of time. That is the case here.

stargazer1956

17 Posts

I really don't want to rain on anybody's parade, but the fact that someone can go to school for two weeks and walk out a Paramedic really frightens me. There are many advanced procedures Paramedics perform that I just don't believe two weeks can prepare you for. Are you ready to do a rapid sequence induction/intubation? Surgical airway? Needle thoracentesis? Pericardiocentesis? These are all things that many flight programs have in their protocols. I believe that the fields are separate and that proficiency in one does not necessarily denote proficiency in the other. I still maintain my paramedic license here in Texas, and I don't think any of you would be impressed if some college around here started a 2 week Paramedic to RN bridge course. Why? Because you recognize that it cannot be taught in that amount of time. That is the case here.

I a also a Paramedic and there are a lot of things I still am uncomfortable with doing just because. I was amazed at how many shake and bake medics and emt are out there! Our local college has done the same thing, supposedly just as good as the whole course, etc. The other thing that amazed me was the number or individuals going straight to medic from emt without having been out in the field especially since field and hospital are so different!!!

We have a volunteer system here that keeps your CEU's up as long as you run, you get classes for free. SO how do you keep your certification? Do you run on the box?

CraigB-RN, MSN, RN

1,224 Posts

Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency, Education, Informatics.
I really don't want to rain on anybody's parade, but the fact that someone can go to school for two weeks and walk out a Paramedic really frightens me. There are many advanced procedures Paramedics perform that I just don't believe two weeks can prepare you for. Are you ready to do a rapid sequence induction/intubation? Surgical airway? Needle thoracentesis? Pericardiocentesis? These are all things that many flight programs have in their protocols. I believe that the fields are separate and that proficiency in one does not necessarily denote proficiency in the other. I still maintain my paramedic license here in Texas, and I don't think any of you would be impressed if some college around here started a 2 week Paramedic to RN bridge course. Why? Because you recognize that it cannot be taught in that amount of time. That is the case here.

Bridge courses work if the selection process is valid. If the RN's have critical care experience or flight nurse experience, then yes they can do it in two weeks. If the RN's are med/surg staff nurses, then I wouldn't be very comfortable with them.

As long as the education abjectives are met, then who cares how long it takes, and yes that includes nursing school.

smk1, LPN

2,195 Posts

i have not real idea but maybe the reason it might take longer to bridge from paramedic to rn vs the other way around is that for acceptance into adn nursing schools chemistry and microbiology, nutrition chemistry is all required but the emt-p program does not require these (as well as the other gen ed. courses). The other sciences both groups take the same prerequesite courses. This is at least true in my area. So maybe the rational is that it shouldn't take RN's long to learn new procedures because they have a more extensive background education and should know the rational behind it? ( i have NO idea if this is true or not am just guessing what the reasons could be.) 2 weeks seems really short though to get comfortable with new procedures though, not to mention the fact that you will be doing a lot of your work in a fast moving vehicle!

kyutnurse

51 Posts

Trinity Valley Community College, based in Kaufman Texas is graduating the first paramedics to RN bridge. it's not just 2 weeks, it's muccccch longer than that!!!!

The Associate Degree Nursing pre requisites (about 8-9 classes, such as A&P, Psych's classes, Micro to name a few...) and then when you are accepted in the program it's trimester to bridge...If anybody is curious...please look at Trinity Valley's website for Paramedic to RN bridge. I am really proud of my paramedic classmates. We also have LVN to RN bridge program.

Ria =)

CraigB-RN, MSN, RN

1,224 Posts

Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency, Education, Informatics.

The selection criteria for the RN-Paramedic Bridge program requires nurses with some form of critical care experience, i.e. Flight Nurse, ICU, ER, etc. The vast majority already have the alphabet soup. ACLS, PALS, TNCC, PHTLS.

heatherbless

156 Posts

sad to see that a registered nurse can't spell...

it's PARAMEDIC...with a D not a T.

ange:devil:

everyone has typos and makes mistakes--so get off your high horse. The OP was just asking for advice, not an english degree.

heather/

MAnders1405

40 Posts

Specializes in Respiratory, ER, PFT and asthma.
everyone has typos and makes mistakes--so get off your high horse. The OP was just asking for advice, not an english degree.

heather/

But this person did that same mistake twice. that's not a typo.

MAnders1405

40 Posts

Specializes in Respiratory, ER, PFT and asthma.
I'm wondering if any of you might know of a RN to Paramedic bridge course. I'd like to get my certification as a Paramedic, but don't want to have to through a whole year of school to do it! Let me know if you can help!

I am an RRT EMT-B with ACLS. I would like to see several bridge courses like RRT to EMT-P, RN to EMT-P, EMT-P to RN just to name a few.

trumpetr

1 Post

As a Paramedic/flight Paramedic, with 25 years exp, the greater part of that in an ER based/flight program : (RN/Paramedic crew configuration) and also as a FT paramedic in a county based and funded system (not a 'private" - in the NW, Washington state, I hav to say i was a little taken aback with the comments to the original post,,condescending as they were.

I know that, wages across the board, are perhaps less on the east coast,but let me assure you those RNS that poo-pood Paramedics- our state requires higher standards of our Paramedics, than any other, albeit Oregon.

I noticed a few people posting,,,,that made ref: to paramedics not making a decent wage,,,,(and therefore being inferior)

Well,,,,,,,,

I make $24.60/hr,,,and 1 1/5 after 40 hrs/wk,,1 1/5 Educ. , 2x mandatory hrs.

I have a great and long lasting interest in nursing,,,,,,i have always felt that, hospital and pre-hospital can and have, worked together well.

I love and admire our ED rn's at our hospitals,,,nd where i used to fly Pt's to,,,,,,I want to go to RN school,.,,,,any thoughts as to where distance learning could be accessed?

sway

58 Posts

I really don't want to rain on anybody's parade, but the fact that someone can go to school for two weeks and walk out a Paramedic really frightens me. There are many advanced procedures Paramedics perform that I just don't believe two weeks can prepare you for. Are you ready to do a rapid sequence induction/intubation? Surgical airway? Needle thoracentesis? Pericardiocentesis? These are all things that many flight programs have in their protocols. I believe that the fields are separate and that proficiency in one does not necessarily denote proficiency in the other. I still maintain my paramedic license here in Texas, and I don't think any of you would be impressed if some college around here started a 2 week Paramedic to RN bridge course. Why? Because you recognize that it cannot be taught in that amount of time. That is the case here.

The skills to perform the procedures you mentioned above can easily be taught in a two week course. In fact, you could probably teach 6th graders to do these things. The real skill comes not in performing the procedure, but knowing WHEN to perform it. This is why RNs in such programs are required to have several years of clinical experience...to ensure that they have a solid clinical backround and understand when and why to do these things. I believe that working 2 years in a busy ICU provides you with plenty of experience and insight to be a fully qualified paramedic after completion of a bridge course. What those graduates need to remember is that they are basically new grad paramedics. I would put money on the grads from an RN-EMT-P bridge course having better skills and knowledge than those from a traditional EMT-P course any day.

On another note, does anybody know of any other RN-paramedic courses besides Creighton? That's the only one I could find.

sway

58 Posts

I noticed a few people posting,,,,that made ref: to paramedics not making a decent wage,,,,(and therefore being inferior)

Well,,,,,,,,

I make $24.60/hr,,,and 1 1/5 after 40 hrs/wk,,1 1/5 Educ. , 2x mandatory hrs.

QUOTE]

I would never say that paramedics are inferior to RNs...they are simply different, apples and oranges. Of course they overlap in many areas, mostly in the area of flight and transport.

Your wages, however, show that you are indeed viewed as inferior by those who pay your salary. You've been at it for 26 years and are surely an expert at what you do, yet only make $24.60, while I've only been an RN for 1.5 years and make more than you do. An RN where I work with your experience would be making close to $40/hour. Sorry, but $24.60/hr for someone with your level of skill and experience isn't enough, in my opinion. The sad part is that it's pretty good for a medic.

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