Any EMTs or Paramedics

[WCSU1987]

Hi, quick intro been in the medical for 8 year's. Volunteered for 3 year's for an ambulance company. Than did a year working with the Anesthesia department assisting them out in the ICU, ER, OR, Radiology, and so forth.

Than went to Psych did 2 year's laid off. Than went to another facility pay and stability was bad so went to another facility. Worked in the OR for a month cleaning equipments till a psych job opened up.

As you can tell psych is unstable and a small field to find work in. Right now can't find much full time work so working part time. In the midst of a low with work so after a nice IV of green past few month's not many extra hour's to pick up. Looking for extra work; that plays into my question regarding EMTs later on.

. Additionally, pay is across the board. I made from $12 an hour to $13 to $17 to $18 to $21 an hour now. Go to some neighboring states where I live some places don't go above $15 am hour.

Add in scope varies of what you can do. Some places only vitals, some places just transport, some places transport/give meds, some places just charting, and some places charting/vitals. Where I work ADLS, making beds, charting, facilitating group's, taking vitals, taking blood, doing EKGs, setting up care plans, and some other stuff.

Anyways I have a bachelors of science in psychology. I am starting to take nursing prerequisites, taking psych 101 go figure. Cost is tough taking one class a semester is my game plan up to nursing school. I am guaranteed $3K a year for health field related classes so it helps. The first year is a bit tough.

I am in the midst of turmoil in my head wanting to find stable full time work. Part of me wants to jump into my hospitals' paramedic program. Any feedbac

I am thinking of dropping out of psych taking my EMT class instead. Than retake psych/math classes in the summer winter sessions.

Is work usually sporifice with being an EMT? Think it's a good side job through nursing school?

Appreciate the feedback.

[funtimes]

I'm going to guess that English might not be your first language and you probably aren't American, but in case you are thinking about becoming a Paramedic in the US I'll comment. In the US becoming a Paramedic just isn't worth the trouble. The pay and conditions for Paramedics are pretty horrible and its an extremely stressful and difficult job, probably a lot more stressful than being an RN. Add to that the fact Paramedic school is fairly long and difficult and has a high washout rate. Even ICU RNs wanting to be flight Nurses regularly fail Paramedic school or fail the National Registry exam.

In other countries the pay and conditions for Paramedics are a lot better, so I'm just commenting on conditions in the US. Oh yeah and EMT is totally different from Paramedic in the US, there is no comparison between the two other than they both work on ambulances. A Paramedic has a much greater scope of practice and much more responsibility than an EMT and the training is a lot harder. EMT school is just an advanced first aid course, Paramedic is much more than that.

[applesxoranges, BSN, RN]

I'm a paramedic as a volunteer because I like it. As a job, the pay is very, very low with a lot onf stress on charting. I have seen companies drive people to the breaking point literally.

[emtpbill, ASN, RN, EMT-P]

While I agree the job can be stressful , the pay is starting to be commensurate with the responsibilities. I got my paramedic cert in 1997. Was working 911 at 11.00/hr. Within 4 years my pay jumped to 20.00/hr. There was a restructuring of 911 medics salaries throughout the county I worked in and the state is Pennsylvania. 3 years ago I decided to move over to interfacility SCT transport. Mostly patients on vents and different drips. As a medic my base is now 25/hr with and extra 1.00 for being an FTO.

Now this may be the exception rather then the rule for medic salaries but I do believe if being a medic is what someone wants to do, it's definitely not a waste or not, not worth it.