RN to Paramedic Bridge Course

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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!

Hello All -

I always hate seeing the argument over whose credential is 'better,' whatever that means... it's a bit tiring to me. Why not try to appreciate the important job that nurses do, and the same for EMTs?

My brother, an anesthiologist, recommended nursing over paramedic, and cited greater mobility and number of jobs one could do, less reliance on standardized checklists/standing orders, and more in-depth education about pathophysiology, pharmacology, and related. And in many locales the pay for RNs is better. RNs rotate through practice areas that EMT-Ps do not - i.e. commuinity health, psych, etc. That was his rationale.

Paramedics are it seems to me all about being very proficient in field medical care, much like a corpsman or army medic would be. It's a different role than a nurse fulfills. Having said that, I worked one med-surg floor where I rarely saw docs, and handled all sorts of nasty cases virtually alone, with a tech or two and my whits. That's it.

Most paramedics I speak with agree that they are roughly equivalent to an ICU nurse in experience and training. Our life flight chopper uses one EMT-P and one ED/ICU nurse, with a doctor added for especialy complex cases.

I find it significant that both are included - a sign that both have something equally valuable to contribute.

For my part, I am just interested in pre-hospital healthcare, and to that, I want the EMT-P certification. Plain as that. The only other thing I am considering is PA - physician assistant. That has the virtue of getting me into the military, which I'd like to do.

My final point to anyone tempted to judge another healthcare professional:

Walk a mile in his/her shoes first. Paramedics do some unbelieveable things under very tough circumstances (one pal of mine told me about doing an IV line on a guy hanging upside down in a truck cab), but there are nursing jobs from hell, too. There's a reason there is a giant nursing shortage; its a damned tough job. I know a former navy corpsman who did time in Nam with the grunts in the bush, and he said he'd never been as scared as his first night on the floor as an RN. I laughed at that, but he sais it was true.

All the best to all -

Pete - aka GaBoy61

Specializes in ER/ICU/Flight.
OK...yes, "parametics" AKA paraMEDICS do get paid less than RN's. But guess what?? They have it ALL OVER nurses when it comes to field medicine. It's apples and oranges,pal. If you want to be a good flight nurse,ER nurse,etc. you'd do well to get your paramedic license.;)

yeah, but just going to a bridge course and getting a paramedic certificate doesn't make you a paramedic. i'd say that you need to spend several years running 911 calls to become really good in the field. my old flight program encouraged the nurses to get their medic cards. but they were what I'd call "paper medics". sure they had a license, but they'd also straddle a charged line on the scene of an accident and other things that a paramedic would just know not to do.

I've intubated people across the hood of a car, wedged into the corner of a bathroom, worked a countless cardiac arrests with very little help, been in housing projects filled with crackheads and drunks who decide they want to fight us. not saying this to pat my own back by any means, but these are some of the things that you have to do as a medic, it's just part of the job and rarely ever do you get any thanks or shown much appreciation...at least not nearly as much as I get thanked everyday as an ICU nurse.

let me ask...if you wrecked your car on the interstate or had been injured by a GSW (very common 911 calls) would you want an RN who had taken a several week bridge course or a medic (RN or not) who had been doing this for years and seen it hundreds of times?

As both a nurse and a paramedic for quite a while, I'm definitely not trying to continue the age-old argument about which is better/more worthwhile/etc and i'm not slamming flychick08 at all either, but her comment made me want to reply: the license is of little value without the experience behind it...same is true with nursing. Most paramedics might equivilate themselves with critical care nursing, but they probably don't understand what's involved in the ICU. It's not that they CAN'T understand it, they just haven't had the opportunity. I was guilty of the same thing myself and even though I feel that I adapted quickly...I also realize the difference between understanding a concept and putting it into practice.

Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency, Education, Informatics.

Some of the comparisons here have been apples to oranges. I wouldn't want the new graduate paramedic trying to intubate the patient hanging upside down in the car either. But the RN who had years of similar experience would be just as able to sink that tube as the experienced medics.

Neither is rocket science. Both are a combination of knowledge and skill. Both can be learned in different ways. Knowledge is knowledge, I don't care if you learn from a box top.

Bridge program are just fine for some people. But then again there are people who I wouldn't let touch my worst enemy after a full length traditional course. No one is saying that ll you need to do it take a 2 week class and magically your a fully functional paramedic without getting some experience. At that point it's just a wallet card and nothing else.

Some of the problems out there with all this is that services don't have the time or money to adequately train new employees, and the evaluation tools that we have available haven't caught up with the new education paradims.

Specializes in ER/ICU/Flight.

I agree that more emphasis needs to be placed on training new employees and there are people i would feel uncomfortable with regardless of their length of training.

However, there are people out there who are saying "just take a bridge program" and don't recognize that it's only a wallet card at that point. I"m not trying to argue with you and, like I said, there are points you made that I agree with. but how would an RN get the experience to pass the tube you referred to without having prehospital experience as a medic (unless of course they were flight nurses with ETI in their protocols). I've got co-workers who are some of the best CCRNs around, been here for 20+ years but have never had to stabilize a severe traumatic injury in the field much less attempted to pass an ET tube.

as I said in my first posting, there's a difference between understanding a concept and putting it in practice. some people can describe how to control an arterial bleed, but you put them in front of someone with blood spurting out faster than you can imagine and they don't always perform.

What I think eveyone is missing here is that ....Just as there are Degreed Nurses (ASN, BSN, MSN)....There are degreed Paramedics. I also have an associate degree in paramedicine. So Based on that, If you are a ASN nurse, the pre-requisites are quite the same....a medic has more skills, and more autonomy as it pertains to decisions ans patient care. If Nurses were a higher skill........Standing orders (autonomy) would be a major of the job. Bothe professions are great, and WELL needed. Nursing is about long term care, Paramedicine is about emergency care. The two builds upon each other.

During my paramedic program, there were weekly clinicals from OB, Psyc,Peds,Intubations, ED (E.R) ICU, CCU, Hospice, SNF and so on. I do not think a nurse that works in a diabetic clinic, or med surge would have the well rounded knowledge and capabilites of a ICU or CCU nurse given that 80 % of what a paramedic does is CARDIOLOGY. Most Paramedic know ALS better than most nurses and some Physicians. Paramedicine is more that riding in a box and pushing standard protocol meds. It is more about good judgement, and being able to function outside of a controlled environment like a hospital. Dont forget the rain, sleet, snow, heat, and inherent danger that some of the calls present to both the medic and the patient. It is the things that can't be taught in two weeks. PARAMEDIC is a major responsibility and after two week is too great of a responsibilty to give to even a nurse.

On the same token a Paramedic would take some time to think as a nurse and do long term managed care in a definitve care facility.

The two week thing from RN- to Paramedic is a total JOKE!!!! :yeah:

Hi

Just finished the Creighton course it was excellent. Well run and well taught with helpful staff. It was good just to see what happens pre-hospital. It was quick but it wasn't cheap and unless you use it as an adjunct (flight) you are not going to make anymore money, but if its something you're interested in its worth it. The only other caveat is you've got to maintain it which can be a lot of education hours depending what state you're in.

hey all-

for those of you who consider the short bridge courses a joke, i would like to hear a bit more about your reasoning. i am considering the course.

i have 5 years as a nurse, all of it icu or er. certs include ccrn, tncc, acls, and pals. in addition, i have been a both a basic emt and a ski patroller at a high volume mountain for years. i am very familiar with working on critical patients in demanding environments. i also have a bit of experience in teaching pre-hospital care. bottom line is i have a pretty decent amount of patient care experience, in and out of the hospital.

my thinking is that i will have to pass the exact same test as any paramedic. that pretty much covers the "paper" part of it. as far as providing patient care, i feel my experience will put me at least on par with most other entry level paramedics. i have a lot more pt care experience than is required to get a paramedic license. i have plenty of friends who are medics, and have a pretty good understanding of the job.

so- if you feel that my certification would be less valid than another entry level paramedic, i would like to know your reasoning. please let me know why.

hypothetical: a family member of yours dials 911. two trucks on the road. i am the medic in one- passed my exam two months ago. in the other truck is a medic who met the minimum quals for medic school, did just fine in school, and also passed his exam two months ago.

you believe that i am unqualified, and want him/her to respond to the call. why? what is it the other medic will be able to do that i won't?

this is a serious question. any well reasoned responses are welcomed. any irrational rants are also welcome, but mainly for amusement value.

hherrn

Specializes in Neonatal ICU (Cardiothoracic).
sad to see that a registered nurse can't spell...

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

ange:devil:

FWIW, you didn't capitalize any of your sentences. Let's continue to play nice.

Specializes in ER/ICU/Flight.
hey all-

for those of you who consider the short bridge courses a joke, i would like to hear a bit more about your reasoning. i am considering the course.

i have 5 years as a nurse, all of it icu or er. certs include ccrn, tncc, acls, and pals. in addition, i have been a both a basic emt and a ski patroller at a high volume mountain for years. i am very familiar with working on critical patients in demanding environments. i also have a bit of experience in teaching pre-hospital care. bottom line is i have a pretty decent amount of patient care experience, in and out of the hospital.

my thinking is that i will have to pass the exact same test as any paramedic. that pretty much covers the "paper" part of it. as far as providing patient care, i feel my experience will put me at least on par with most other entry level paramedics. i have a lot more pt care experience than is required to get a paramedic license. i have plenty of friends who are medics, and have a pretty good understanding of the job.

so- if you feel that my certification would be less valid than another entry level paramedic, i would like to know your reasoning. please let me know why.

hypothetical: a family member of yours dials 911. two trucks on the road. i am the medic in one- passed my exam two months ago. in the other truck is a medic who met the minimum quals for medic school, did just fine in school, and also passed his exam two months ago.

you believe that i am unqualified, and want him/her to respond to the call. why? what is it the other medic will be able to do that i won't?

this is a serious question. any well reasoned responses are welcomed. any irrational rants are also welcome, but mainly for amusement value.

hherrn

hey hherrn,

i wish i had an irrational rant, but sadly...no. i hope you haven't misunderstood my position about bridge courses. for certain people they are fine and as you say, you would certainly be above an entry-level paramedic with your experience.

just to play devils advocate with the hypothetical scenario: it's not that i was comparing you to an entry level paramedic, i was referring to experience which i think i had mentioned in an earlier post. if not, then i'll explain it now. everyone needs the "time-in-grade" to see and do as many things as they can, get familiar, etc. so in your scenario the way you state it, i'd rather have you with your experience than someone who is fresh out of school and hasn't seen much of anything yet. but if you make it your 5 years as a nurse with 2 months of paramedic school as opposed to a paramedic with 15+ years of high-acuity experience, that might make a difference. and that's not a slam on you in any way, so please don't take it as such. i'm an rn too and definitely think you should go for your paramedic certification and in my opinion there's no way your cert would be less valid than another new grad, if anything it would be more valid because you have 5 years healthcare experience.

let me give you an extreme example of something that happened to me: a man was buried in a trench collapse, fairly uncommon ems call. took about 10-12 minutes for rescuers to dig him out, my partner (icu-rn) and myself had prepared a rapid sequence induction for when his upper body was freed. while i was still cleaning dirt and rocks out of his airway my partner pushed the norcuron. i passed the tube and the patient survived the whole incident, but we had made a 30 minute committment to paralysis without a secure airway. not something i'd ever experienced, before or since and it happened because he was a little overwhelmed by the whole scenario. it was so intense and the local news crews had gotten there, filming live, etc and he had participated in rsi in the unit but never in a ditch with basically one other person helping, patient half-way buried alive, etc.

i wouldn't want 2 medics there with a total of 1 year experience. they might do a great job and everything turns out fine, but the chances are better when someone there has a lot more under their belt.

also, ask yourself: what if a paramedic could take a 2 week bridge course and get an rn license? to be honest with you, after taking the nclex-rn i knew that i could have walked in there straight off the cuff and passed it without ever having opened a nursing text book or attended any nursing classes. i didn't think it was very hard, but i finished nursing school, got my degree, etc. and even if someone could just "challenge" the nursing exam, they'd be poorly prepared to work as a nurse. someone posted that most medics felt they were equivalent to an icu nurse in experience and training...i'd have to almost blanketly disagree with that. some medics are, no doubt about it; but not all. what if a patient has sudden onset frothy sputum, bp 230/140, hr 186, spo2 57% on nrb? a medic is trained treat acute pulm edema and get that patient to definitive care as rapidly as possible. just by the nature of paramedicine they're not trained to stand at the bedside for 7 hours while all interventions are failing and basically pre-code someone for that long. i'm still an remt-p and have had that card for 15+ years, but i've only done things like that as an rn, never as a medic.

i appreciate your perspective. the invite to irrational rants was more towards some of the earlier posts- this thread has some mileage.

my understanding of the bridge course is that they expect you to have at least two years critical/emergency experience, as well as your basic emt. i would consider anybody new to a paramedic license- i don't care if it's a trauma surgeon- to be an entry level medic. if anybody thinks their experience as an rn, plus a bridge course, puts them on par with an experienced medic, they don't have much respect for the profession, and are in for a rude awakening.

as far as a medic challenging nclex? sure- assuming they have considerable relevant experience. for example, some er's use medics as techs. anybody with a couple of years in an er wanting to be an er nurse, i think they would rock. going from being a truck based medic to a med-surge floor would be a bit more of a stretch.

the example you give, "what if a patient has sudden onset frothy sputum, bp 230/140, hr 186, spo2 57% on nrb?" would be beyond the ability of any entry level nurse, paramedic background or not.

a whole lot of what i learned in nursing school has little to do with nursing, and nothing to do with er nursing. care plans, for example. or the time spent learning about lavinia dock, or florence whatshername. i think a medic with the right experience would do great in the appropriate setting.

i solicited opinions to try and get an idea of what my reception might be if i were to take the course. if i do, i will be working in an area where at least some of the people know me as having experience in emergency medicine.

thanks for your input.

hhern

Specializes in Med/Surg ICU.

You don't think that an RN w/ a medic background or a medic for that matter would be able to handle that scenario? Or did I not understand what you were saying?

I think that the point rnremt-p was making was that nurses are trained in managing over time, rather than stabilizing short term. The approach is different.

hhern

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