Hi guys, new here. I was a fire fighter/emt for many years, worked for the gov as a scientist a while too but got burned out by 12 hr days in 100 degree heat wastelands.
Anyway the thrill of going on fire calls, rescues etc never really left me. I am considering doing a BSN bridge program (I have my bachelors) and trying to get into ER nursing. Ideally years down the road do flight nursing. Regardless, is ER nursing a decent field to get into? The 'male' nurse thread has a bunch of topics warning that it sucks, low pay etc.
Mainly wondering if the ER would stracth the same itch. Thanks!
I always kind of thought nurses just act out the whims of the doctors which made me wary. I like intellectual challenge.
Ha! Read the nursing oath, it doesn't say anything about doctors. Nurses are the managers of patient care. The physicians are key to placing orders for medical care and the experts in injury and illness. But nurses are the eyes and ears, listen to patients, advocate for patients, and "guide" physicians to follow protocols and often bring issues to their attention. It's a team, and everyone has a key role.
Thanks that was a great write up. I am a little confused though that in general your first couple paragraphs make nursing sound like its worse than EMS but then you conclude its better. (Yes I want to get out of the heat as well )
My dream would be to eventually become a flight nurse, then its 'back' to EMS in a big way - until then mainly trying to decide if ER would be legit. Also is it easy to get into ER, esp with EMS experience?
It's not better just different. But it will significantly expand your knowledge and potential in health care. Unfortunately in my experience, EMS experience was not valued when I was applying to the ED. This is because they have no real appreciation for what EMS does. However, I rely on that experience every day. Sometimes you have to pay dues you don't want to, or play the game to get where you want. Some EDs might appreciate your experience, especially if they know and respect you personally.
If you're willing to work hard through nursing school and pay dues as a new grad, go for it! Not sure how much EMS/medics get paid but I know RNs get paid more. How satisfied you'll be is subjective. Many of our ER techs have previous EMS experience (EMTs) and we have 1 or 2 RNs that were paramedics before crossing over. One stayed in the ER full time, the other does ER PRN and rides the ambo the rest of the time- she says she likes the variety and is happiest this way.
I personally can't imagine myself as a floor nurse. I don't have the patience for it and from stories my friends tell me, even a busy day is nothing compared to the ER flow. Even as a new grad in our ED, you quickly build a rapport with MDs and have so much autonomy compared to other units, it quickly builds your critical thinking and keeps you on your toes. You play the detective role because you get a pt and have to figure out what's wrong with them vs already knowing the diagnosis on the floor.
I have medic/firefighter friends and do ride alongs with them. I've been there during a slow day when you don't get a call until noon and days when you get a call a minute before arriving. It's definitely a different pace than the hospital. Both jobs have pros and cons:
EMS:
-Gotta deal with the weather of the day
-Sometimes have to go to unsafe areas/dirty houses
-Protocols allow you to medicate and carry out procedures without an MD
-Drop the pt off, write your report and you're off
-Tons of downtime between calls
-Exciting going on calls, at least in the beginning
RN:
-Higher pay
-Secure environment
-More responsibility
-Have to wait for orders to carry out most things
-You get a****** patients, every once in a while you get an awesome pt who thanks you in the end.
I too want to be a flight nurse eventually but I'll need years of experience before I can do that...that being said, not looking to those Critical Care/ICU years. Its crucial to gain exposure/experience to vents and hemodynamically unstable pts but it's still the floor! LOL.
Whether your previous experience gives you an edge depends on the hospital and area. Our ED Manager appreciates experience of any sort- especially Military/EMS so you wouldn't have a problem getting hired out of school there.
If you're willing to work hard through nursing school and pay dues as a new grad, go for it! Not sure how much EMS/medics get paid but I know RNs get paid more.
After a time, yes — RNs make more. But I know some EMS folks who brought home serious money just because of the way their schedules were made (working 24s, 72s, etc.). So while the RNs' hourly pay may look more attractive, there might be an initial dip in income.
I went from EMS to the ER, as a paramedic/ER tech and then new nurse; it's not really a seamless transition, but it worked for me. From what I've seen where I was, a paramedic gives you a bigger edge than being an EMT-B, unless you are a very very experienced EMT-B type of person. Depending on your facility, those adrenaline-rush patients might be a little more rare. But I love the ER, it's always going to be home. :)
After a time, yes — RNs make more. But I know some EMS folks who brought home serious money just because of the way their schedules were made (working 24s, 72s, etc.). So while the RNs' hourly pay may look more attractive, there might be an initial dip in income.
I went from EMS to the ER, as a paramedic/ER tech and then new nurse; it's not really a seamless transition, but it worked for me. From what I've seen where I was, a paramedic gives you a bigger edge than being an EMT-B, unless you are a very very experienced EMT-B type of person. Depending on your facility, those adrenaline-rush patients might be a little more rare. But I love the ER, it's always going to be home. :)
Well can you explain a little more about the pros vs cons of the er vs ems? I am familiar with ems so any anecdotes etc to understand the er would be good. Do you find you have good automony as a nurse? Intellectual challenge? Too much stress? Etc etc Thanks!
Hey that is interesting to hear your perspective. Do you have more decision as a nurse compared to a paramedic? I always kind of thought nurses just act out the whims of the doctors which made me wary. I like intellectual challenge.
That thought explains why most fire fighters are jerks that I deal with. Go get your BSN and work any floor, and then come back and post that. I can't speak for every nurse here, but I respect your first responder skills, but we have skills you haven't even thought of. Fire fighter, EMT does not equal nurse. A nurse's true skills are assessment, diagnosis, and education. Not sticks, caths, or other "skills" you can teach any lay person. We cover physician's butt's most days of the week; we are with the patient's 98% of the time; we are in the charts; we get lab results; we call the MD and are required to give our assessment and recommendation of what we think should be done (that's actually a real thing); and when an MD orders a med or doesn't order a med we are the ones to say "are you sure about that because of xyz..." You want an intellectual challenge? Go get a BSN. Learn you patho and know how to apply it. I have two other bachelors degree and wasn't prepared for a BSN. Leave you ego behind and your macho attitude because there are nurse's out there who will eat your lunch and I wish I could watch with popcorn.
Well can you explain a little more about the pros vs cons of the er vs ems? I am familiar with ems so any anecdotes etc to understand the er would be good. Do you find you have good automony as a nurse? Intellectual challenge? Too much stress? Etc etc Thanks!
My pros/cons will not be the same as for someone else. But I will say that EMS and ER are like apples and oranges — both fruit, but that's about where the similarity ends. ER is often also about stabilizing the patient, but you have to think longer term.
Intellectual challenge? Sometimes, in learning from others or trying to figure out what is going on with a patient. It can also be task-oriented and repetitive some days, too. Autonomy is going to depend on where you work and how much latitude you have in the way of implementing protocols, but those are still done under a physician order, just as they are out in the field.
I find ER nursing to be more stressful, typically because you are juggling more than one patient at a time, and for longer periods of time.
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
That thought explains why most fire fighters are jerks that I deal with. Go get your BSN and work any floor, and then come back and post that. I can't speak for every nurse here, but I respect your first responder skills, but we have skills you haven't even thought of. Fire fighter, EMT does not equal nurse. A nurse's true skills are assessment, diagnosis, and education. Not sticks, caths, or other "skills" you can teach any lay person. We cover physician's butt's most days of the week; we are with the patient's 98% of the time; we are in the charts; we get lab results; we call the MD and are required to give our assessment and recommendation of what we think should be done (that's actually a real thing); and when an MD orders a med or doesn't order a med we are the ones to say "are you sure about that because of xyz..." You want an intellectual challenge? Go get a BSN. Learn you patho and know how to apply it. I have two other bachelors degree and wasn't prepared for a BSN. Leave you ego behind and your macho attitude because there are nurse's out there who will eat your lunch and I wish I could watch with popcorn.
Good grief, offended much??? They came and were transparent about assumptions they had and asked for advice and information. They only know the profession from one side and it's a common misconception from EMS side that nurses just follow orders. In reality EMS just follows orders too for the most part, the different is their orders are all laid out in approved algorithms and protocols. They still have to be approved and signed off by a physician, it's just done preemptively and if they have to vary from those laid out algorithms they have to call in and get verbal orders.
Regardless, someone comes on and admits they have pre conceived notions and asks honest questions they don't deserve to be put down. You're reply came off just as much as a jerk then the reply you spoke of, except I didn't read theirs as trying to be a jerk. Yours I did.
PS you don't even need a BSN and if you want to speak on Ego, might want to re-read your post.
Ha, I don't want to start some sort of fight here, like Mi Vida said I merely am offering what I perceive it to be. If I thought nurses were drones why would I be considering it? I find it a potentially fascinating career and want to know more about it.
If I went into nursing and ultimately wanted to be a flight nurse would ER be the way to go?
One nurse friend I have told me that good mental challenge to also consider the OR.
One more question, is the ICU actually 'intense' in that you need to think fast, or more like they are just critical patients?
Trying to find the best option and if its worth going back to school for, thanks!
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
Ha, I don't want to start some sort of fight here, like Mi Vida said I merely am offering what I perceive it to be. If I thought nurses were drones why would I be considering it? I find it a potentially fascinating career and want to know more about it.
If I went into nursing and ultimately wanted to be a flight nurse would ER be the way to go?
One nurse friend I have told me that good mental challenge to also consider the OR.
One more question, is the ICU actually 'intense' in that you need to think fast, or more like they are just critical patients?
Trying to find the best option and if its worth going back to school for, thanks!
If you want to do flight nursing ICU actually will benefit you more since a lot of flight can be more critical care transport. A lot of flight nursing will require ICU experience and some will accept ER if it's Level 1 trauma center experience. (mind you I only speak for about the 12 I researched it obviously can vary) but I have worked at a few hospitals that we had our own flight team of 3 helos each. A lot of places will also accept both ICU and ER. And some I have seen if the ER is not Level 1 trauma you have to have ICU as well. Most I have seen will require 3-5 years of experience in those areas.
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nurse2033, MSN, RN
3 Articles; 2,133 Posts
I always kind of thought nurses just act out the whims of the doctors which made me wary. I like intellectual challenge.
Ha! Read the nursing oath, it doesn't say anything about doctors. Nurses are the managers of patient care. The physicians are key to placing orders for medical care and the experts in injury and illness. But nurses are the eyes and ears, listen to patients, advocate for patients, and "guide" physicians to follow protocols and often bring issues to their attention. It's a team, and everyone has a key role.