[RNMedic1977]

Originally Posted by rjflyn

I am not a FF but was a Paramedic for 10 years who went to nursing school. My medic experence was as a hospital based one out of the ER so the transition was pretty easy. The only issue I see is lack of nursing experence. Most ED's want there PRN staff to be able hit the ground running with little orientation. Part time staff typically orient fulltime and then work PT. SInce you have never worked as a nurse I could see an orientation period that is fairly long, alot is going to depend on the hospital and how open they are. Your skill level and how well you pick up the nursing will also play its own part. Nursing is very different than being a medic, the longer one is a nurse the more this bears out.

Rj

I agree with the above post. I was a Paramedic first...when I was only 18 years old in the late 70's! I LOVED it, and those days there were not many woman paramedics. I went into Critical Care before the ER after I became an RN. I wanted to go right into the ER, but was advised to get my IV drip and assessment skills stronger prior to going into the ER. I did not think I needed to do that...but found that those 2 1/2 years in Critical Care helped me a great deal. As a Paramedic and an ER Nurse, you do very quick assessments, and in Critical Care, you do very in-depth assessments. You actually have the time to learn more about the disease process, etc when you have a 2:1 pt-RN ratio. Plus you get very comfortable working with many different IV drips...and ventilators (years ago the ER very rarely had a patient on a vent, now it happens quite often).

Good Luck on whatever you decide!!

[Jessy_RN]

What a change! I wish you the best of luck in the pursuit of your new career

[GigLs2u]

I know that Memorial Herman in Houston has offered emergency room training programs in the past. There is probably a hospital in or near you that is similar. In addition, I know they provide opportunities for emergency room nurses to transfer to flight nursing.

Access to any level 1 trauma center is dependent on attrition so start looking before you get out of school. I am certain your EMT background might be something they would wait for if it is not a long time.

We look forward to having you in nursing. Like your peer said the hours and money will be better.

[H60Medic]

FireMedic, I am in the same boat. Graduated Yesterday from Excelsior and take my NCLEX next Saturday. I have already spoken with some of the local ERs and may have a part-time gig worked out. I too do not wish to leave the fire service, just improve my knowledge and skills. I have a longer post in the distanct learning section, under graduating today. Give me a yell if you have any questiongs.

[JustJared]

Im a firefighter in Paramedic school, and Im also looking at that excelsior course. I am taking a few calsses at my local community college to try and make the transition as easy as possible. Do you by chance have the link for the nursing class still. A buddy of mine on the department is going through it, but works a different staion and I dont see him too often. I would love to do both, we have 3 level 1 trauma centers in my town and I want to work one for the money and experience.

Also if anybody else knows of a school where I can do the distance learning thing an dgo from medic to RN please let me know.

- Jared -

- Jared -

[chip193]

www.excelsior.edu

I'm not aware of any other school that will let you go from medic to RN without setting foot in a classroom.

Chip

[dpipes44]

Originally Posted by JustJared

Im a firefighter in Paramedic school, and Im also looking at that excelsior course. I am taking a few calsses at my local community college to try and make the transition as easy as possible. Do you by chance have the link for the nursing class still. A buddy of mine on the department is going through it, but works a different staion and I dont see him too often. I would love to do both, we have 3 level 1 trauma centers in my town and I want to work one for the money and experience.

Also if anybody else knows of a school where I can do the distance learning thing an dgo from medic to RN please let me know.

- Jared -

- Jared -

My advise to you is to go to school for your RN. I was a medic for 8yrs and the transtion was difficult. I have alot of Pt care time and teach for an EMS program. It is easy to be an RN but it is very difficult to be a really good one. I think the extra Pt care time you will get going to school as opposed to a one weekend clinical is priceless, but you do want you want. Just remember there is no easy way to get your RN it all takes hard work. Good Luck

Anthony

[chip193]

Originally Posted by dpipes44

My advise to you is to go to school for your RN. I was a medic for 8yrs and the transtion was difficult. I have alot of Pt care time and teach for an EMS program. It is easy to be an RN but it is very difficult to be a really good one. I think the extra Pt care time you will get going to school as opposed to a one weekend clinical is priceless, but you do want you want. Just remember there is no easy way to get your RN it all takes hard work. Good Luck

Anthony

I'd advise the opposite - I've been a medic for 15 years, the last 10 in supervision/education/administration and made an easy transition. In the last 15 months (after graduation from Excelsior), I've made the jump to charge and do orientation of new nurses. It depends on the person.

Chip

[rn29306]

Not a FF or Medic, but used to work extensively with them while doing CCT with medics and being on-scene with FF. Can spot one of you professionals a mile away......I'm a SRNA now and visit many of the ICUs in our level 1 hospital several times a day.

There is one place that I think you would be a perfect fit for you, but may be hard to get into ------ A dedicated open heart recovery unit, getting fresh hearts from surgery.
You like seeing very quick results to actions you perform, check.
You like pharm - you got all the gtts you can manage.
Ditto for invasive monitoring. You got all the lines you can handle.
Get to learn alot of vent management and physics behind it.

I think I would fall over dead if I heard a medic or FF say they wanted to go work med/surg after working scene calls and such. No offense meant - just my opinion. FF/medics like seeing instant results to their actions, are very technical and highly skilled at this type of environment, and usually like to learn about pharmacology and monitoring. Ask to shadow one day in a CTICU, I think you'd like what is waiting for you.

Open heart units is where I see most medics and FF who went back to school working, that in addition to the ER and cath lab and they are wonderful additions to these units and most are extremely dedicated / hard workers.


Let us know what you decide and how it goes.

[H60Medic]

Ditto on the prior. It is the person who makes the nurse. My paramedic background has quickly made me an asset in the ER.

Originally Posted by chip193

I'd advise the opposite - I've been a medic for 15 years, the last 10 in supervision/education/administration and made an easy transition. In the last 15 months (after graduation from Excelsior), I've made the jump to charge and do orientation of new nurses. It depends on the person.

Chip