An EMT's place among Nurses

Nurses General Nursing

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i recently became an emt-b while waiting my turn on the waitlist for the rn program. i love emergency care but my heart is in nursing. i am having trouble getting work within the hospital because of my title of emt. all my experience (which is not much but about 20 hrs of volunteer work on an abulance and assisting refreshers at ucla) is from my emt program... i am frustrated with being turned down because i lack hospital setting experience. im wondering, is there truely a place for an emt within the hospital or should i just persue emergency medicine in a pre hospital setting while i wait it out? any suggestions/opinions are much appreciated!

thanks

tiki the emt

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Specializes in CV.

I am only in my second semester of nursing school, but all that I can tell you is DO NOT GIVE UP!!!! If nursing is where your heart is, then stick with it. I began college in 2003 as a prenursing student and basically was told that I was not good enough, not smart enough and all of that- so I eventually changed my major. to Community and Public Health. Well, among the next 4 years, I excelled in my other major and realized that I am smart and I can do anything. So, amongst finishing that degree, applied to many nursing schools (12), and here I am- I am in a Wonderful RN program and am also working on my BSN too (crazy, I know). And.. turns out, I want to either get my EMT or EMT-P and hopefully become a flight nurse one day.

I did not mean to make this about me at all, but I don't really have much other advice! Make the best out of your EMT license (my dad is also EMT), be proactive, work hard, and again, DO NOT GIVE UP! You may be taking a longer path, but it will work! Best of luck. Plus, being an EMT is AWESOME as well!

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Tiki, in my rural area you could get a spot in an ER. Also, check out www.excelsior.edu. I don't know what state you're in, which is a consideration, but certain levels of paramedics can enter the EC online RN program because the presumption is that you have done patient care.

I wish I were an EMT. They know a lot more than I do about emergent conditions.

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Hi Tiki,

depending on which state you live in there may be legal restrictions that prevent you from working inside the hospital as an EMT. I'm a 911 paramedic, and although we're hospital based we are absolutely prohibited from doing any patient care inside the hospital. We actually got lectured by our medical director that we're not even to continue doing CPR on patients we bring in arrest- as soon as we get inside it's out of our scope of practice.

I do know a lot of medics and EMTs who have worked as techs in other hospitals, but I think they had to do a training program specific to the particular place where there were going to work.

You have to decide for yourself, but I think it would be great for you to get as much experience in the streets as possible while you wait for the nursing program. You'll see a lot, and get a better understanding of the entire healthcare system.

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Specializes in 24 years as emergency paramedic.

Hi Tiki, I just retired after 24 years as a Paramedic on the streets but continue to fly as a Flight Paramedic until I find a nursing job. I just found out today that I passed the boards, so hopefully when the hiring freezes let up I can find an ER position. I know some hospitals hire Paramedics to work in their ER's, but I do not know what their duties consist of. Good luck with school and hang in there.

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Thank you so much. Perhaps I just need that extra push! I am a 26 year old mother of 3... and this has been the hardest thing I have ever done. There is always so much reassurance being a wife and a mother, then you work hard to make something of yourself and it all too often feels like the door slams in your face by those who dont know you. I appreciate your encouragement.

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Specializes in Emergency room, Flight, Pre-hospital.

Don't give up Tiki, there are spots in hospitals, some ER's use EMT- B, and some paramedics. Those spots are sometimes harder to get. You would see alot in an ER, however on the road you would see just as much and do a ton. Working on the road isn't all bad as it would give you very good experiance, and give you an advantage once in nursing school because you will have seen and done things that others haven't and it will make more sense. Either way Good Luck to you :)

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Specializes in ER, Special Care Nursery, CCU.

We have EMT-Is and EMT-Ps at our disposal in the ER - who function as techs, putting in IVs, foleys, helping in codes, and all sorts of other things. Love em. Couldn't do my job without em!

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Specializes in Med Surg, ER, OR.
We have EMT-Is and EMT-Ps at our disposal in the ER - who function as techs, putting in IVs, foleys, helping in codes, and all sorts of other things. Love em. Couldn't do my job without em!

Same as in our ED. i would love to get my EMT license for out of hospital events and to ride on a squad, but our techs are wonderful!

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