EMT becoming a nurse

matilda123 · Dec 7, 2008

I also am an emt-b starting nursing school, in January. A friend started nursing school last semester, and said that I will have a great advantage in clinicals because I already know how to do vitals, and such, and know the ranges for bp, heartbeat, how and what to do under pressure,and how to do assessments. Other nursing students agreed that it will help a great deal to take some of the load off.

best of luck to you:) :nurse:

blughst43 · Dec 7, 2008

So I am an EMT and cpr instructor becoming a nurse just curious if anyone has been through that and if they think being an emt will help with nursing school.

Hi emtj...I agree with matilda123 100% :up: . I've been an EMT for 9 years (2 with a private ambulance, 7 as an ER tech) and will be entering ns in the spring. Being a tech, cna, phlebotomist, etc. is invaluable experience on your road to becoming a nurse. You'll be light-years ahead when doing the vitals, but you'll also have a keen understanding already of what patient care is all about. You'll already have that experience of assessing a patient (young and old and all walks of life) and you'll know what to do in every emergency situation. No sweat! You'll be that much more prepared when you enter nursing schoool. :yeah:

hypocaffeinemia, BSN, RN · Dec 7, 2008

So I am an EMT and cpr instructor becoming a nurse just curious if anyone has been through that and if they think being an emt will help with nursing school.

I'm an EMT and I am 4.5 months from completing my RN program.

There are advantages and disadvatanges. You will have a leg up when it comes to clinical skills for at least the first semester. You are already familiar with the basics of assessment, vital signs, oxygen administration, standard precautions, and stressful situations. Your peers, however, will quickly catch up to you and your advantage latter on becomes familiarity with "the system" and an idea of how to manage certain patient conditions.

Disadvantages: You will, as a student, have to learn how to yield autonomy. This was tough for me. You're not allowed to do anything in a clinical setting you haven't learned in the lab setting in nursing school, despite your past experience. This will, of course, depend on your clinical instructor, but last year I got in trouble both for putting somebody on a nasal cannula before we had our oxygen management lab, and re-dressing an IV site that desperately needed it prior to our IV lab. It wasn't fun, to that extent.

Also, you will have to let go of real-world knowledge for the tests. Tests cover "ideal-world" two-dimensional scenarios that are often laughable and contrived to somebody with actual experience. While you may be able to write a 20 page essay explaining your rationale for a particular answer, you won't be given such an opportunity. If you pick the wrong "ideal-world" answer, you're wrong. End of story.

Best of luck to you.

ohnoanothertest · Dec 8, 2008

I agree with hypocaffienemia, I too have been an EMT for a long time and am working on my BSN, you will have to remember to do only what your instructors have taught you to do, not what you already know from the field. And always remember, what he said about ideal world. It does give you an advantage in some areas, however you can spend that time learning more advanced areas like pathophysiology or pharmacology to get a leg up on the rest of the group.

mcs1505 · Dec 9, 2008

Disadvantages: You will, as a student, have to learn how to yield autonomy. This was tough for me.
Also, you will have to let go of real-world knowledge for the tests. Tests cover "ideal-world" two-dimensional scenarios that are often laughable and contrived to somebody with actual experience. While you may be able to write a 20 page essay explaining your rationale for a particular answer, you won't be given such an opportunity. If you pick the wrong "ideal-world" answer, you're wrong. End of story.

Amen and amen! So true! I graduate in June and, you guessed it, I'm an EMT.

Most of the help came at the beginning, I wasn't nervous to learn assessment skills or be tested on them (if you handled the stress national registry you should be fine with showing a professor how to properly auscultate the lungs etc).

The most important thing (credit goes to my theory and research prof for this): Don't forget what you already know!!!! I don't know how many times I've walked out of a room to get pain meds and realized that all I asked about was severity of the pain because I was assuming (BAD!!!!!) based on what I knew of their condition, where and how it was hurting. And every time I do that I slap my forehead for forgetting something so basic and turn around and go back in the room to ask.

Don't get so wrapped up in the new that you forget the old.

Good luck and have fun with it!

hiddencatRN, BSN, RN · Dec 17, 2008

My husband is a paramedic and is planning to go to nursing school once I'm done. One thing he's mentioned not looking forward to is having to step back on some skills where paramedics are more advanced, like intubating.

But that really seems like a minor disadvantage, and I think overall you will definitely have a leg up as an EMT.

That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Dec 17, 2008

I was an EMT for 5 years before going into nursing school. What has been said already is so true. I found that the biggest difference for me though is that through doing EMT, I had more confidence going into clinicals because I have already gotten over that akward stage of patient contact. Also the assessment skills you learned are very valuable.

Also, I found it harder to turn off the medical side of my brain and focus more on the nursing side when it comes to care plans.

MJL278 · Dec 17, 2008

I'm actually doing stuff a bit different. I've been considering going back to nursing school even though i still have some doubts about whether i can do it, the classes, the tests, and all of that. SO i've signed up to take a emt course before i go and sign into being a nursing student full time. I've never worked in the health care field really (other than as a pharmacy tech briefly). So just to test myself and see how i do i'm taking the EMT course and if i do well then i will feel more confident that i can go ahead with nursing school. Plus i'm sure learning to become a EMT will help me when it comes to nursing school.

Tiki8767 · Dec 18, 2008

I am completing my EMT- B program this january, and still awaiting my # on the Moorpark College RN program. I have gone back and forth between working as an ER Tech or taking my EMT to an ambulance company. I have heard so many times that working as an EMT makes great experience for a future nurse. Im still very undecided and would welcome any suggestions.

Thanks Tif

caribgal · Dec 18, 2008

Hi I have been an EMT-B for three years. It has truly changed my life and I am now working on my pre-reqs to go to Nursing School. I currently have a B.S. in marketing. Good luck with your venture and thanks to all for the advice.

WorkinTheStreets · Dec 19, 2008

Hypocaffeinemia and ohnoanothertest summarized it very well and I fully agree with what they posted.

The biggest benefit I am finding being an EMT (EMS and SCTU) is that charge nurses (ER/ICUs) see my face and get to know me. This is more true on the ER side and my SCTU nurses, who also work ER and ICU, get to know me and have often told me to use them as a reference. Even before a job interview, they know my name, analytical skills, clinical skills (At the BLS level), my charting skills and most importantly my character.

Anyone looking into working as an EMT either before or during nursing school, try and do so with an EMS provider and not a transport company. The only thing "Slingin' Lizards" will do is get you proficient at taking blood pressures. Depending on where you work, working EMS is great for studying.