[ERFirefighter]

Hey all,
My name is Justin. I’m currently a seasonal firefighter in California. My goal is to end up being a firefighter/paramedic with an RN license. I’m trying to find out which is the best avenue to approach this. Is it better to go to school and get my RN and challenge the paramedic board or is it better to go get my paramedic license and try and find a school that will let me bridge into the program. I have heard many things that the governor is trying to establish a program in California to let paramedic's bridge into the 2nd year of the RN program. Does anyone know anything about if or when this might happen. Any info would be great thanks.
Justin

[UMichSCN07]

I can't speak specifically to California, but I can tell you that I found nursing school to be much easier than my classmates, having just finished paramedic school and having had previous EMS experience. I'd be surprised if you can challenge the paramedic boards as a nurse, unless you already have your ACLS certification, because that's a BIG part of EMS and I have yet to find a nursing school that includes ACLS as part of the curriculum (doesn't mean that they aren't out there, though). Also, from what I understand, medic to RN programs are more common than RN to medic programs, most notably Excelsior's medic to RN program. Whichever route you settle on, I wish you the best of luck!

Mike in Michigan

[mtruland]

I've heard mixed reviews about whether or not you can actually challenge the paramedic license. I'm indeed in the same boat as you. I'm actually just barely finishing up the EMT-Basic, and will be entering an RN program in the fall.

I've also heard that one could possibly challenge the EMT-Intermediate liscense with an RN license. I would check with local law, and ask around locally. Talk with people in charge in your area to see what others say. You never know, you may get lucky and be able to challenge.

I personally want to be a flight nurse, and would love to have a paramedic license as well. The only downside is the hassle of recertification for both nursing and paramedicine. It'd be a great thing to do on the side as a hobby, but I won't pursue both if I can't challenge the paramedic.

[APNgonnabe]

Justin,
In Illinois we have a PHRN(prehospital) so basically once you've got your RN you can take a class that has a few pre req to it and then you can function as a paramedic with the RN lic. I did a quick search of california and I believe you may have something like that there. http://www.emsa.ca.gov/Para/emtpfaq.pdf
I would suggest going to get your degree (RN) and then test into the EMS side. If you go to that website it should help a little.

[bebe1138]

I'm currently a Paramedic and I'll be finishing RN school in December. I have have been licensened in CA, MO, TN, and MS. As far as I know there is no challenge test for EMTP if you are an RN. Having said that I must admit that after 12 years as a Medic I still struggle in the classroom for Nursing school. The hands-on clinical portion however is a breeze since I already have many years of dealing with the "ill or injured". Here in TN the Flight Nurses only need their EMT -Basic ( among other certifications), they don't need to be Paramedics. You might be better off taking a 2- year RN program, then a month long EMT- Basic course. The didactic is just as difficult, there will just be less of it. When I went to Paramedic school in CA it was 5 days a week and 8 hours a day, and you still didn't even come out of it with any kind of college degree. Is that still the case?

[mtruland]

I am a student at NHTI in Concord, NH. They offer an Associates degree in either Nursing, or you can take an associates program for Paramedic.

A lot of the air transport crews here around NH have both Paramedics and RNs on the choppers. In the long run, if I can't challenge the medic, I'll just go for the EMT-Intermediate. I don't think I'll take the class time to get something I really won't use that much.

We'll see how it goes though.

[Jason511]

Does anyone know if it is hard to get hired by a hospital if you get your RN from one of the College network type of companies. I have worked as a Paramedic/ Firefighter for 13 yrs and I am looking for a bridge..In Ohio

[CraigB-RN]

Originally Posted by Jason511

Does anyone know if it is hard to get hired by a hospital if you get your RN from one of the College network type of companies. I have worked as a Paramedic/ Firefighter for 13 yrs and I am looking for a bridge..In Ohio

No one has ever ased were I graduated from in all the years I've been doing this.

[DonaldJ]

Originally Posted by Jason511

Does anyone know if it is hard to get hired by a hospital if you get your RN from one of the College network type of companies. I have worked as a Paramedic/ Firefighter for 13 yrs and I am looking for a bridge..In Ohio

Don't go College Network. You don't actually "graduate" from them. You just buy overpriced study materials to get your degree from Excelsior College or Indiana State University. Search for threads here and you'll find many horror stories about TCN and RUE.

But to answer your question, no one cares where you get your degree from as long as you have those magic letters behind your name.