How many EMTs are there here?

bwalston · Jun 8, 2003

Guilty :)

regards --

Bill

dsczephyr · Jun 8, 2003

I was a volunteer EMT for about ten years before starting nursing school. I am now a graduate nurse getting ready to take the NCLEX exam for RN. Being an EMT helped me to a point - it helped on test questions regarding prioritization and ABC's.

However, nursing is not even remotely like EMS. Apples and oranges are both types of fruit, but are two totally different kinds of fruit. In the same way, EMS and nursing both involve patient care - but involve two totally different types of patient care. EMS is fast paced, you will get bored with having to learn to do bedpans, bedbaths, and ambulating elderly patients. Yet, there is a tremendous (and often scary) amount of accountability and responsibility with nursing. Much of nursing revolves around medicines. You will have to learn about giving drugs to a far greater degree than a paramedic: there are more of them with far more numerous nursing implications.

More than than, nursing involves the ability to critically think (problem solve) your way through situations in a way that EMS never does. NCLEX test questions assume you know the content (think - a dozen nursing textbooks, some of them five inches thick!) - it tests your ability to think on your feet, And yes, to a certain extent, EMS does the same thing - but not nearly to the degree that nursing does.

You will have some advantage though, in areas of critical care and ABC's. I found it to be a mistaken assumption, however, that because I was an EMT, it would really help me in nursing school. For me, that was not the case. There were also CNA's, LPN's, OR techs, paramedics, respiratory therapists, and others who had degrees in Biology (one taught Biology at a major university) in my nursing class. I was just one of many with various healthcare backgrounds and we were all in the same boat trying to make it.

My two cents worth - Denise

nurse-in-boots · Jun 8, 2003

I got my EMT-B about 4 yrs ago. I never worked as an EMT, except during military duty. It did, help my in nursing school a little. (only about as far as vitals though) Although, I think that working as an army medic helped me even more. (might have even gotten me in trouble during clinicals). I start on EMT-I this month. They say they are phasing out I's, and going strait to P's. Im just going with the flow for right now.

Good luck in school... You'll do fine.

northwest20 · Jun 9, 2003

Im an EMT and taking pre-requisites for my college nursing program. Being an EMT has helped me quite alot so far. The basic anatomy and physiology we learned as EMT's gave me a nice foundation to build on for my college level classes. Even though the anatomy you learn as an EMT seems like nothing compared to college level A/P, it was alot more then most of my fellow students ever encountered before college.

Also, working as an EMT has given me real life experience working with patients and other health care providers/institutions. It has given me real patients to learn from and think about long before I will ever finish nursing school. It isnt difficult to become an EMT so I think it was one of the easiest ways to get in touch with direct patient care.

If I hadnt become an EMT I wouldnt be able to work at a hospital as a ERT (emergency room technician), which I think is a great place to see what a career as a nurse involves.

career seeker · Jun 9, 2003

I have been a volunteer EMT-1 (set up a little differently in AK...EMT 1, 2, 3 & P) for 3 yesars and EMT-2 for 6 months. I have not started school yet but I think that it will be helpful a little for the basic things like basic anatomy, IV's, etc. but I ahve also worked as an MA in a medical clinc and realize that the two are very different, so we will see.

Question: what makes you want ot go into nursing instead of Paramedic? I ahve been struggling wiht this decision. Honestly for me it is money and a fairly regular schedul ebu tI as curious what others are thinking.

Heather

eb_rn · Jun 9, 2003

i have a history with the medical field, my dad is a flight medic and my mom is a RN. and i was really interested in ER at first, so i started as an EMT-B, finished the class, but never worked...found out i was pregnant during the class and was due shortly after i finished....took a semester off and started nursing school. really enjoyed the class and the knowledge base. wish i could have worked a litte though. something i found interesting....everyone in my EMT class tried to help, very friendly atmosphere. in my nursing classes, however, much more competition....only the ones in my study group really tried to help each other, seemed to be like that with all the groups, help each other in the group, but not the class as a whole.....goes with the old idea i have heard...the one about nurses eating their young......