EMT - B with nursing school?!

[keegs13]

Hi Y'all!

Since you are all so helpful with all of my other questions, I am asking for opinions here....

What do you think about going to summer classes (community college) to get my EMT - B cert. the summer between my freshman and sophomore year of nursing school (University of Kentucky)?

Why get the cert?

To be able to work on campus as a possible EMT while getting extra medical training. Before anyone says that a nurse's atmosphere and an EMT's are very different, I understand that, and I am going to become an Army nurse (Army ROTC and nursing), talk about a different atmosphere from any other imaginable!

Simply wondering if it would be worth my time, in your opinions! Thanks for the input!

[Pixiesmom, BSN, RN]

Hello Keegs13! My is that you can do anything you put your mind to.

It has been quite a long time since I took my EMT-B course but if the dates don't overlap I would go for it.

Good luck to you!

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

YES!!! What a brilliant idea. I think you should go for it.

How is additional knowledge and training a bad thing? Please correct me if I am wrong, but I trust that you are old enough to understand the difference between EMT duties and nursing duties.

What a GREAT way to spend your summer. Go for it!

(I am sort of jealous. But you inspired me to perhaps get my own EMT cert!)

[emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

If you'll be able to ride, then go for it. The field experience will help down the road.

[ImThatGuy, BSN, RN]

I think you should do it. I'm biased, but it'd be a good opportunity. You'd also get a different perspective of the healthcare team and get some pretty good assessment and scene safety skills.

[caliotter3]

As long as the entire course can be completed in the summer without interfering with nursing school, yes, why not? Good idea.

[keegs13]

Thanks for the input, guys!! I think I am going to go for it.. not this summer, but next... I mean the field experience should get me "in the game" or a little taste of the mindset of a field hospital... barely, but at least a taste!

Instead of EMT - B (basic), if I can, should I just go for EMT - P (paramedic)... of course time and schedule-pending with nursing school and Army training, or would that be too much considering I am not going to be a paramedic but a nurse?

[nfdfiremedic, BSN, RN]

I took them both at the same time. It was pretty rough. If I could have done it over the summer I would have!

Also, paramedic AND nurse is a very useful combo depending what you want to do with your career.

[One1, BSN, RN]

I worked as an EMT-B (plus IV cert) throughout nursing school and found it extremely beneficial, so I'd say go for it!

[keegs13]

one1: Did you do summer schooling for EMT -B or at the same time as nursing school?

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

Instead of EMT - B (basic), if I can, should I just go for EMT - P (paramedic)... of course time and schedule-pending with nursing school and Army training, or would that be too much considering I am not going to be a paramedic but a nurse?

Not sure of how the schools work where you but in CT you have to be an EMT-B or EMT-I for a certain period of time (usual time frame is 1-2 yrs) before you can be admitted to the paramedic program.

Most paramedic programs here are degree (associates degree) programs and will take 2 yrs to complete. So, if your area has similar requirements you wouldn't be able to do a EMT-P course over the summer.

I am an EMT-B and my schooling and experience as an EMT did give me a leg up when I started LPN school, and continues to help now that i'm bridging to RN.

If you have th time and funds to do an EMT-B over the summer..go for it. It can't hurt.

[ImThatGuy, BSN, RN]

You could do nursing school and paramedic school at the same time. Granted, it wasn't nursing school, but I got my first bachelor's degree at the same time I was going through paramedic school. Went to a university during the day for the degree classes, went to a community college at night for the paramedic courses.