CNA or EMT?

allnurses Guide · Mar 22, 2006

I'd go the EMT route, especially if you are headed to critical care.

You learn CNA stuff the first part of nursing school and essentially do that kind of care all during school at clinicals. While it is important, it is not that hard to learn.

Keeping your head in an emergency is good practice though.

Good luck.

steph

tookewlandy · Mar 22, 2006

Well if you are planning on going to nursing school soon i would go with the CNA route because while you are in school it will be easier to work part time as a CNA most places will be flexible to nursing students schedules allowing you to work as much or as little as you want and some places may offer you things for after you are finsihed with nursing school

student4ever · Mar 22, 2006

If I were you I would go the EMT route, as at least in my area, CNAs mainly work in nursing homes, which would not give you the kind of experience you're looking for if you want to go into a critical care area like ICU or ED. Some hospital ERs hire EMTs to work in the ER, or you could work at a paid ambulance service (the pay isn't very good from what I hear - all our squads are volunteer, and the private ambulances that do nursing home transports are the only ones who pay). If you have a good basis of knowledge on basic emergency/critical situations, it will help tremendously. You will see and experience SO much more than you would as a CNA taking BP and wiping butts (believe me, I know CNAs do much more than that, but as for critical situations, there is a lack of opportunity). JMHO

tookewlandy · Mar 22, 2006

Yeah but as a CNA you will at least get to observe the nursing process up close, and you get so close to the patient as a CNA you will learn how to deal with people,, I work with kids who are mentally retarded but i also worked in a hospital on a ICU floor, home health, and in a nursing home so depending on you area you can get a job as a CNA in most places, im not sur ehwo EMT work hours are but the places i worked Knew i was a student and let me pick days when i wanted to work, plus other nurses in the hospital and nursing homes let me watch and assist them while they did things. Maybe you should become a CNA see how you like it(most places will train you) and then if thats not your speed go for the EMT

allnurses Guide · Mar 22, 2006

EMT's work in our ER plus work on our ambulances.

We also work around school schedules for EMT's and CNA's so that isn't a problem (although I'd recommend not working while in school if possible).

steph

mimibear · Mar 22, 2006

I would check with several nusring schools in your area and see what they say. Where I live, you must be a CNA prior to starting clinicals!

Princess74 · Mar 23, 2006

I would go for EMT. That's what I plan on doing.

I want to be an ER/Trauma nurse.

Geeg · Mar 23, 2006

Emt.

S.N. Visit, BSN, RN · Mar 23, 2006

I would rather be an EMT, although to be accepted into my program you must be a CNA before you apply.

SFCardiacRN · Mar 23, 2006

EMT is better training for critical care. CNA is better training for med/surg. EMT is much harder to master however.

after53 · Mar 23, 2006

I work with several rn/paramedics and like any other job some carry over the transition bettter than others.Prehospital care will expose you to a wide variety of chief complaints,sort of melting pot of nursing practicums.If nursing is really your goal I don't believe prehospital care is the prep you need.The priority setting is quite different.

Who are you as a person...hands on ,fast pace,task oriented?Will you get a taste of prehospital and change your mind about nursing,maybe?

I was an EMT first and after The good calls always wondered about that MI or the burn.I was 24 when I went into nursing and very self assured about my skills.Nursing seemed so slow at first,I think I thought I would become a trauma nurse overnight.Many years later i work in an Er and preceptor some paramedic students and i still beleive they are very different jobs.I think as a nurse I get to help the students think outside that chief complaint,mentor all round pt care and of course in Er we share alot of skills.

As a woman both jobs are can be shift work.Now the genders are much more even than they were all those years ago but sometimes you gotta be one of the boys on the car!

I loved being an EMT and sometimes still yearn after the great stories i hear as I triage in the EMS crews .Do some ride alongs.It might help you narrow your decision.Good luck.