Does your ED use CNA's or EMT-B's

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

I was supposed to be in my Peds clinical this past week which I really was looking forward to because I thought that I would like it, anyway, first day we had not enough patients and to many students. So they were sending one of us to NICU and the other to ER. The other girl wanted to go to Nicu so I got to spend my 9 hours in the ER.

I FELL IN LOVE! Out of all my rotations thus far it was by far my favorite. The sucky thing was I couldn't do anything. Since it wasn't the unit my CI was in I couldn't do meds and stuff, would have had a chance to finally do some IM injections. (have only done sub q).

The staff their was so nice from the Doc, PA, NP and nurses. They are very hands on learning so even they told me they were frustrated they couldn't let me do more so I could learn. But even so they were absolutely wonderful. It was my best clinical shift and rotation thus far and I have been to a handful of units and it was also by far the nicest staff I had met that totally fit my personality. Lots of sarcasm and dry humor. I don't know, just a good fit.

So anyway, I was thinking about looking into becoming an aide in the ER. Since I am just about done with my first year we can get an Aide Cert after the first semester. So I could do that. Well turns out the ER I was in didn't use Aides, they used EMT-B I guess because their training is more extensive and they can do more.

My school offers an EMT-B class. I thought that this was a really good idea and I saw where it could be beneficial when like the EMT was bandaging, doing EKG's and stuff. Seemed their scope was larger then the aide so it made sense to have them in the ER instead. They were hired on full time in the ER so they weren't working with EMS

Anyway, I am curious how many hospitals do this. It was the first I had heard or seen of this but I do think it's a great idea.

I think I found where I might do my preceptorship!!!! I did get my next 2 nights in Peds and I dunno, I liked the ED much better.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

It is very nice to hear such passion!

Our ER does not use CNA's.

We are a small rural hospital - one doc, one RN, one Paramedic and one EMT-1.

steph

edited to add - in the bigger hospitals down the road they use ER Techs, RN's and Docs.

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

It is very nice to hear such passion!

Our ER does not use CNA's.

We are a small rural hospital - one doc, one RN, one Paramedic and one EMT-1.

steph

edited to add - in the bigger hospitals down the road they use ER Techs, RN's and Docs.

It was nice to finally go to a place I felt at home in. I mean I didn't hate my other places, I just couldn't see myself there. But that wasn't the case in the ED. The first 30 mins or so I wasn't sure and a bit overwhelmed. They aren't used to having students often and they were really busy. But after my initial anxiety it was great. The NP was so wonderful. A trauma came in and she was like OH here come with me, and had me stand in and watch in the trauma room. Obviously you can tell how excited I was LOL,

Is an EMT-1 the same as an EMT-B ?? I didn't even know their were different EMT levels until not that long ago, then I found out that their are Paramedics that aren't the same as EMT's.

[juliaann]

We use PCTs that have passed the AUA exam for our ER, ICU, all mother/baby departments (NICU, nursery, post-partum, L&D), and Peds techs.

[Sandman2855]

Hey Mi Vida Loca. I am an EMT-B who has worked full time in the ED for 3 years now after more than a year working on an ambulance. In answer to your question, many EDs use EMTs in the unit. We are called techs and we are trained at the EMT-Basic level which is the same as EMT-1. The other levels are EMT-Intermediate and EMT-Paramedic. So a paramedic is an EMT, just a higher level EMT. Almost of all of the EDs in my area (Los Angeles) use EMT-Bs and not CNAs in the ER though I have heard of some EDs using them. Generally EDs like to hire EMTs with some prior experience on an ambulance but it may be possible to go directly into the ED if you have some contacts. I would highly recommend becoming an EMT to get experience in the emergency environment. Im sure it would help you land a job as an ER nurse if thats what you wanted to do. I am starting nursing school this fall at UCLA and I definitely agree with you that ED is awsome and thats where I wanna be. Good luck and let me know if I can answer any more questions for you.

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

Thank You! I think I will look into the EMT-B class we have at my school for this summer, I can't do it during the regular school year since I am in nursing school but I think I would like to expand my knowledge in that direction too.

After talking to the EMT's there in the ED it made a lot of sense why the ED would go that route. I am going to have to find out if the other hospital that I want to work at does that also. I know they have a new grad residency program in their ER, they hire 2 New Grads twice a year and they are on 6 months of orientation. I think I will put in to do my preceptorship there. I think there are only a handful of students in my class that are interested in the ER from what I have heard.

Anyway, thank you again for the information and congratulations on nursing school!

[ItsTheDude]

cna's are used n the ed i work at.

[nuangel1, BSN, RN]

we use cna quite a few are nursing students.we train emt-b ,we have 2 local schools they do there iv ekg med training etc .they also have to get so many intubations and have to go to ob and watch deliveries.

[blueeagle11]

hi ~mi vida loca~

i've been an emt-basic since 2004 with experience on bls, ils, and als services. (basic life support, intermediate life support, advanced life support).

i am also a new rn who has just finished a critical care orientation program where i worked in the icu. (now going to er bc i miss the faster-paced life and variability!)

your posts caught my attention in regards to cna vs emt. it's not really a matter of "higher level of training." it's more a matter of focus of care and scope of practice. cnas actually do many other things that emts are never trained to do and emts do many things that cnas do not do. it's just that one is in an acute, emergency setting focusing on what needs to be fixed rapidly (respiratory distress, seizures, gsws, amputated limbs...) and the other a more controlled environment where every aspect of the patient's care/life (level of consciousness, breathing, intake & output, diet, hygiene, medications.....) must be managed.

ems in general has four levels of training (w some variations of name and scope of practice by state). first responder, emt-basic, emt-intermediate (aka emt-advanced) and emt-paramedic.

mostly first responders have the same scope with a few exceptions and also frs do not independently transport patients.

basics perform assessment, trauma packaging of patients, splinting, use nasal and oral airways, and can give only a few drugs: oxygen, nitro, aspirin, oral glucose, activated charcoal, and epinephrine auto-injector. some may use a combi-tube, an airway similar to an endotracheal tube but is a "blind drop," or a similar airway. emt-bs are not generally taught to obtain or read an ekg.

emt-intermediates do have a higher level of training than basics. their assessments are more in depth. they can start ivs, give fluids and other medications: lasix, lidocaine, morphine, ativan, and more.

emt-paramedics are the highest level in ems. emt-ps can do everything bs and is do and a couple of more drugs and procedures like a needle decompression for a pneumothorax or a cricothyroidotomy.

now take all this as general guidelines bc i'm only familiar with illinois myself and each state has their own regulations and each region has its own set of protocols, meaning what one emt can do in one place may not be allowed in another.

also, many places have done roll-out classes and "upgraded" some levels. in illinois, first responders can do nearly the same things as a basic and emt-is have been taught advanced skills so that their scope and the p's are very very close to the same. oh, and in indiana basics do take an iv maintenance class. they can transport someone with fluids running, etc. but cannot start the ivs.

i hope this hasn't bored you to death and you glean some useful/interesting info from it. ems and nursing can be two totally different worlds, but you'd be amazed what each can learn from the other.

sounds like you may have found your niche and would enjoy the emt class - go for it!

one more quick note-- the history of ems, how it really got started (defibrillators especially) and how it's developed over the past 30 yrs is quite fascinating.

[katkonk, BSN, RN]

I live in a major metropolitan area, and yes, the ED's here definitely use EMT's as techs and no CNA's. It is a good choice if that is the way you want to go.

[delilas]

I saw CNA's in the ED where my ambulance most often went, but they didn't do anything 'interesting'. They did more or less the same aide work they will do in LTC - clean up the mess, remake the cots.

You will see a lot and be around a lot, but you could do more as a student nurse (if your CI were present, d'oh) than as a CNA.

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

hi ~mi vida loca~

i've been an emt-basic since 2004 with experience on bls, ils, and als services. (basic life support, intermediate life support, advanced life support).

i am also a new rn who has just finished a critical care orientation program where i worked in the icu. (now going to er bc i miss the faster-paced life and variability!)

your posts caught my attention in regards to cna vs emt. it's not really a matter of "higher level of training." it's more a matter of focus of care and scope of practice. cnas actually do many other things that emts are never trained to do and emts do many things that cnas do not do. it's just that one is in an acute, emergency setting focusing on what needs to be fixed rapidly (respiratory distress, seizures, gsws, amputated limbs...) and the other a more controlled environment where every aspect of the patient's care/life (level of consciousness, breathing, intake & output, diet, hygiene, medications.....) must be managed.

ems in general has four levels of training (w some variations of name and scope of practice by state). first responder, emt-basic, emt-intermediate (aka emt-advanced) and emt-paramedic.

mostly first responders have the same scope with a few exceptions and also frs do not independently transport patients.

basics perform assessment, trauma packaging of patients, splinting, use nasal and oral airways, and can give only a few drugs: oxygen, nitro, aspirin, oral glucose, activated charcoal, and epinephrine auto-injector. some may use a combi-tube, an airway similar to an endotracheal tube but is a "blind drop," or a similar airway. emt-bs are not generally taught to obtain or read an ekg.

emt-intermediates do have a higher level of training than basics. their assessments are more in depth. they can start ivs, give fluids and other medications: lasix, lidocaine, morphine, ativan, and more.

emt-paramedics are the highest level in ems. emt-ps can do everything bs and is do and a couple of more drugs and procedures like a needle decompression for a pneumothorax or a cricothyroidotomy.

now take all this as general guidelines bc i'm only familiar with illinois myself and each state has their own regulations and each region has its own set of protocols, meaning what one emt can do in one place may not be allowed in another.

also, many places have done roll-out classes and "upgraded" some levels. in illinois, first responders can do nearly the same things as a basic and emt-is have been taught advanced skills so that their scope and the p's are very very close to the same. oh, and in indiana basics do take an iv maintenance class. they can transport someone with fluids running, etc. but cannot start the ivs.

i hope this hasn't bored you to death and you glean some useful/interesting info from it. ems and nursing can be two totally different worlds, but you'd be amazed what each can learn from the other.

sounds like you may have found your niche and would enjoy the emt class - go for it!

one more quick note-- the history of ems, how it really got started (defibrillators especially) and how it's developed over the past 30 yrs is quite fascinating.

thank you for the information. i was surprised from a few of the things i read, just from what i have seen here where i live, the cna role is pretty limited especially compared to that of the emt-b i saw in the hospital. the cna classes are very short to where the emt class was a semester. i know that the scopes vary on place to place though. apparently i can apply for a job as an aide since i have finished my first semester or nursing school, but if our ed's are only hiring emt-b's then i think i will for sure look into that route.

anyway, your post was very informative, and i appreciate it :)