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Discussion

EMT, CNA or CMA?

Hi All-

I've been volunteering with Care Extenders at UCLA for a year now but I need to be paid. What's the quickest entry level hospital job that is best for my situation:

MY SITUATION:

- In my 40's with a 6 yo and 4 yo (think OLD and TIRED but actually I work out and am in pretty good shape.)

- Want to move from a large city (LA) to a small town in NC.

- Have exactly a year to get set up so that I can work when I get to NC.

- Will prob apply to nursing school (to get on NP track) in NC after I get there (so I have residency.)

DESIRE:

- I don't really want to be a CNA b/c it is hard physical work (at my age) and the pay is pretty low in NC. I am thinking ahead a bit.

- I love volunteering in the ER. Started thinking EMT Tech would be better for me b/c it's kind of fast-paced etc. (I realize this can be pretty physical too!)

- Something that will help me get into nursing school, pay decent, has plentiful jobs (versus physical therapy or pharmacy which might only have a few jobs per hospital etc.) and is fast-paced.

What do you all think? CMA sounds nice b/c it's on a weekly 9-5 schedule and doesn't involve bathing/bathroom help and cleaning people. Also prob. no weekends/holidays. CNA is great b/c you work closely with nurses and they have flexible schedules (can work per diem or as much or little as desired.), EMT is great b/c it's exciting and gets you into the hospital room but is that true in all states or just in California? B/c when I do jobs searches for EMTs in NC it comes up as a certain class of EMT/Paramedic so I am wondering if the structure is different there?

Any advice is welcome!

Thanks!

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    I think that given your career goals, it might be best for you to become a CNA and try to get some experience at it. It is a lot of hard work but as an RN, your scope of practice includes that kind of work. First Semester of nursing school usually introduces you to that scope of practice and then a bit more, so if you already know the CNA stuff, you can spend more time concentrating on learning the book material and not have to worry too much about the clinical stuff.

    That's my thinking on this. EMT isn't really relevant to day-to-day nursing and neither is MA. The training for both is very different from nursing stuff.

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    • Author

    Thanks for responding! I think it also transfers between states better probably.

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    What are your thoughts about entry level in the ER? Or does it not matter at this point. Prob. better to just focus on nursing and then hopefully work towards a job in an ER?

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    I would work as a CNA first. If you are worried you can't do the job of a CNA you might want to consider something that is less physically demanding than being an RN/LVN. You WILL have to do the lifting, bathing etc. as an RN. Not as much, but enough for me to say you should be comfortable as a CNA before going on to RN.

    At least in California it is nearly impossible to get hired as an ER tech with no EMT experience. EMT is more physically demanding than a CNA any day. Instead of having a possible 3rd/4th person to help you with the REALLY heavy patients, all you have is two. Add that heavy patient plus the weight of the gurney, and you will see why many females do not pursue EMT/paramedic (I know there ARE women in the profession, but not nearly as many when compared to men).

    I went through EMT training, couldn't get a job during the recession (Got my EMT-B in 2008), so I went form my RN. I worked as a CNA for a year while I was in school. Good luck!

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    What are your thoughts about entry level in the ER? Or does it not matter at this point. Prob. better to just focus on nursing and then hopefully work towards a job in an ER?

    Look at ER's in NC, and see if they like there ER techs to have EMT or CNA. Most places prefer ER techs to have EMT. Since in some areas it can be hard to get hired into the field as a new EMT, working in an ER as an EMT is a good career goal

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