Cool Jobs to do after you gain ER experience

[yankee nurse09]

SO, I realllly love my job in the ER started in the ER as a new grad, hated it at first, now that Im finally starting to feel a little more at ease I've been wondering what kind of jobs are out there that ER nurses can venture into but along the same line of work of course,I know that I need to stay in the ER for a while to gain more experience but I was always like to plan for the future!

[Asystole RN]

Fire Dept/Paramedic or the coveted heli-copper-nurse

[Be_Moore]

Critical Care transport, Flight nursing (helicopter or fixed wing).

[ImThatGuy, BSN, RN]

Fire Dept/Paramedic or the coveted heli-copper-nurse

Why would a nurse want to become a fire department paramedic?

[ImThatGuy, BSN, RN]

Cruise ships. Austere environments. Off-shore work. .mil may like it too and start you out at a higher grade.

[GreyGull]

Critical Care transport, Flight nursing (helicopter or fixed wing).

For CCT and especially Flight nursing you should have at least 3 years of experience in some progressive ICUs. The IFTs rely heavily on critical care experience which you will not normally get in the ED. We have one CCT ground transport ambulance service that has hired RNs with only ED experience and several times the hospitals have had to use their own ICU staff to accompany these teams if they want to get their patients transported. This leaves the CCT RN looking clearly out of their league and embarrassed as well as doing the patient not the best service if the RN must fly by luck rather than experience to get from point A to point B.

If the helicopter does primarily 911 response, then yes you might get by with only ED experience.

Some are private with 911 contracts and some HEMS programs are with Fire Rescue. In these situations it is wise if the RN works under their license and scope regardless of whether they get the Paramedic cert as well by whatever means. It reduces licensure/cert conflict. If the RN is hired for a "Flight RN" position, that is the license he/she will be held to regardless of the Paramedic cert or license.

Several states also allow RNs to challenge the Paramedic or do a short bridge course.

In a few states there are prehospital credentials for RN to where they can work EMS.

In California, an RN with ED experience can obtain the MICN credential and function as liaisons for EMS in various employment situations depending on the county.

Some cruise lines can be slave mills with long hours and not the best wage.

Camp RNs are also popular. They even have their own association with a jobs section.

http://www.acn.org/

[GreyGull]

Why would a nurse want to become a fire department paramedic?

Several reasons and most have to do with pay and pension plans. Few hospitals can match a FD pension plan.

The hours or days works and benefits at the FD also leaves an RN open to work a hospital job at PRN or agency wages.

Job security is also a good reason. Hospitals close or can be bought out at a moment's notice as we are now seeing. A FD job is generally a career and once you get in with a couple of years, the chances of losing that job is less. Of course there are still risks but generally it is the rookies and the others may be absorbed by the other FDs in a take over or as in some situations, city to county turnover.

[ObtundedRN, BSN, RN]

Why would a nurse want to become a fire department paramedic?

Because it can be way more fun then sitting in a hospital all day. :) (And sometimes not so much fun...)

[ImThatGuy, BSN, RN]

Because it can be way more fun then sitting in a hospital all day. :) (And sometimes not so much fun...)

I've done the medic thing, and I was a vollie FF for years. I see the appeal there, as well as in getting away from "bedside care," but for most nurses (the vast majority of which are women) it doesn't seem like a valid career move or something most women would enjoy.

I'm all for exploring alternative nursing roles.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

Why would a nurse want to become a fire department paramedic?

I'm both, but I was a paramedic first. :)

[ImThatGuy, BSN, RN]

I'm both, but I was a paramedic first. :)

I know. As I will be as well. I'm saying why go backwards from nurse to fireman?

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

Ah, I see. Come to think of it, I don't really know anyone who went RN-to-Paramedic, rather than vice-versa. There was one girl who tested at my National Registry site who had just completed the community college's one-semester RN-to-P program, and I don't think she did well with the practicals. She was a nervous wreck!