Any CNA also took EMT-b training or vice versa?

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · Nov 5, 2011

They're two very different fields that will teach you some very different things. If you work in either field, you'll get exposure to doing some hands-on patient care. Where the do differ is that CNA will expose you to more "nursing" tasks and EMT will get you thinking about what's wrong with your patient because you begin providing care based upon your assessment findings, even if at a very basic level.

Take what you need from each and you'll be more mentally prepared to do clinicals in nursing school because you'll know many of the very basic fundamentals and you'll be thinking about assessing each patient and identifying problems. Let your school show you the educational path they want you to be on and do learn what they have to teach you.

Oh, and as far as being "more marketable," since the jobs are that different, I doubt you'll find that usually one enhances the other except in certain specific circumstances where skills from both jobs could be readily used a lot.

rayne215 · Nov 5, 2011

Thanks for the info. another option (but more expensive for me) is taking the CNA course, then doing this EKG/phelbotmy course separately. now the CNA course is $1200 but this EKG/phelbotmy course is $3000 at local CC (EMT-b training is also $1200) so i may do that and see where that brings me

parumph · Nov 6, 2011

Get your CNA, go into LTC. If you're pre-nursing now, and will start next fall, get all the experience you can for your future goals. This will get you your few months of experience needed to get into a hospital job, and once you start nursing school it will make you that much better at direct care. If your goal is nursing, EMT will not net you anything in the long run as they are completely different aspects. EMT-B's are 99% non-emergency transport and care. In general an EMT needs to know more about a pt in 10 minutes than a CNA will need to know in the next month, but it wont help much in your goals.

As for marketing yourself, you can possible get some different jobs with an EMT-B vs a CNA. Can't do BLS transport with a CNA, but you can't work in LTC with a EMT-B. Again, two different jobs. Since your're already accepted into nursing school, go with that. If in a few years you decide you wanna ride in an ambulance and get more Trauma, go for your Paramedic, pair it with your RN, some certs and you will have a BUNCH of options. Just make sure you keep all of them current.

rayne215 · Nov 6, 2011

thanks. This is great advice!

northernguy · Nov 6, 2011

I got my EMT license a few years ago and my CNA cert a couple years ago. I would definitely get both if you can. Being a CNA will be beneficial working as a new RN, and getting your EMT would be beneficial if you work as an ER nurse. With both its more the experience of working than the actual training that will benefit you most. A lot of your EMT training wont apply to nursing at all since youll learn about stuff like vehicle extrication, ambulance operations, splinting, communications, scene management etc, but some things like airway management would be beneficial and might even go beyond what RNs learn. Even if you dont work as an EMT you could volunteer as one and gain some real world experience doing patient assessments.