Confused on EMT-B?????

livetoserve · Mar 28, 2010

what you will see will depend on what kind of service you are on and will likely vairy from day to day. EMT-B is just that "basic". What you will be able to do is very limited. The medicine box (what you can give a patient and what you can do for a patient) get's bigger as you move up to intermediate and then paramedic.

Either way it's good exposure to the medical field. When I was an EMT-B(trained with and worked with all levels as the service itself wasn't specific) I remember the intermediates and paramedics often joking about the fact that they could give more meds on their own than a nurse.

Work hours will depend on the service you work with but most use shifts 7-3, 3-11, 11-7.

Good luck!

P-medic2RN · Mar 31, 2010

most emt-b's make min. wage. and in most services drive. most services prefer the paramedic to provide 99% of patient care due to medical-legal and billing considerations. good luck in nursing school.

P-medic2RN · Mar 31, 2010

work schedules are 12 hours and 24 hour shifts at most services.

SandGram · Mar 31, 2010

once you get your emt, you can ask permission to ride 3rd with a paramedic unit. it will be on your time but that's what I did. I got to see a lot and when I finished paramedic school I ended up in a 911 shift in a busy city. it does depend where you work but I also worked the first year as an emt-b doing transfers which gave me time to learn and master basic assessment skills.

you could also get a job in a hospital er as a tech --that might be better if you plan on moving into nursing.

HeadingWest · Apr 5, 2010

I am an EMT-B for a private company in the Western burbs. Our basics start out around $9/hr. We put up ambulances for 10, 12, 13, and 24 hour shifts. On a BLS rig you can expect to do lots of discharges, dialysis transports, and the occasional emergency, mostly nursing home falls. Our ALS rigs are medic/basic, and we do the occasional vent/IV pump specialty transport. We don't run with the extra people on calls like the fd does, so you can get experience outside of your scope beyond simply driving the medics around. As far as ER tech jobs in the area go, most hospitals out here in the Aurora/Naperville area want you to be a CNA or a paramedic, or sometimes even both. I'm starting ns at College of Dupage this fall and feel like the past couple years have done great things for my assessment skills and ability to communicate with pts. One bonus of EMS work is the that the scheduling often makes it possible to work full time in just a few days a week, leaving days open for going to school.

sugaray · Apr 14, 2010

Alot of Volenter firefighters are emt-b, they are paramedic helpers

Looking2Excel · Apr 16, 2010

I am doing my prereqs for the RN program, but am stopping for the summer to get my EMT-B. You can get a position in a hospital as an ER Tech with the EMT-B. They make a little more money than the CNA's and I believe will get more experience as well. It will also get your feet in the door, so that when you complete your RN, you can just move around instead of having to go search for a job. Some hospitals will even pay for your RN schooling. The pay that I am seeing for the position is anywhere around $12-$16 in my area, but you may want to do a search for the pay where you are at. It isn't much, but it should take care of my bills for now. Hope this helps. Good Luck!

MJ415 · Apr 22, 2010

Proudpops,

I've got some insight on being an EMT because I've been one for several years now in the Bay Area of California.

Your job duties as an EMT out here are entirely dictated by which county you are working in, which agency you are working for, and whether you are on a BLS, ALS, or CCT (Critical Care Transport) rig.

We are not just "Paramedic helpers" or "drivers". I personally provided lifesaving CPR on 2 patients within my first year. I also know several EMTs that have delivered babies in the back of the ambulance.

Also, I've known EMTs that cleared $100k in a year do to massive amounts of overtime.

It's a great profession and it DEFFINITELY helped me get into nursing school as well as gave me an idea of what hospitals are like in the ER behind the scenes.

naimrnbsn · May 6, 2010

That's not true. It definitely depends where you work and when. Working in any big city, you are bound to get the "good calls". When you go to small towns for a volunteer organization, you will get "good calls" on occasion, so you appreciate it when it comes to you. I am only a trainee in a volunteer organization, but I have seen some good stuff.