Is it worth going from Paramedic to RN in Florida?

[Medic1995]

I’m a paramedic looking at possibly attending nursing school to become a CCT RN. I haven’t made a decision, but I’m holding it as a possibility because of the possibly higher pay, and the amount of jobs available. 

My goal would be to work for AdventHealth as an ICU RN for two years (as required for Advent CCT) and transfer back to the truck as a CCT RN in either Tampa or Orlando. I have no issue with doing my time in the ICU. I love critical care, and I truly believe real deal CCRN’s are the best nursing has to offer.

The reason I am hesitant, however; Is that with the cost and time spent to bridge over, I’m not sure if I will be making THAT much more money. I’ve heard Advent doesn’t pay very well, and money is honestly the largest factor here. Decent medic jobs in Tampa/Orlando typically start at 50k for 56 hours a week. (24/48) Obviously, as a RN I will make a much larger hourly pay, but I will only be working 36 hours a week. I have no idea what OT is like as a RN, or how frequently I can expect to get it. The 16 hours of scheduled OT is everything for us on the EMS side, and is why we make a 50k at a rate of 15 an hour.

If I am going to do this, I’d like to start higher than 27 an hour, and be able to hit somewhere around 40 an hour within five years. If that isn’t achievable, it doesn’t really make sense monetarily for me to put in the time, money, and effort.

Florida nurses, how much does a new RN (ICU) typically make? (If you know advent’s pay, that would be wonderful.)
How much does your pay increase each year?

What could I expect to earn as a certified CCRN/EMT-P assigned to a transport team? Is it just the same as a ICU nurse?

Thanks,

Jake

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

I can't comment on the specifics related to Florida specifically, but I know a few people that have transitioned from paramedic to RN in my area, specifically within the ICU role. Many have an ultimate goal of flight nursing and it's a popular transition plan. I think that just like anything else, going into it solely for monetary reasons is a potential drawback, but ultimately your earning potential is likely to be higher. The question is do you WANT to do the job. A couple of the people that I have worked with struggled with the transition from a focused period of time with one patient that requires stabilization and transport, to a patient assignment with two patients that they are responsible for furthering the care and focusing on overall treatment and wellness. For example, addressing lab values and putting where they fit into the whole picture of the patient's presentation. We have one paramedic who specifically struggles with this transition and is easily overwhelmed by having two patients that need care and will routine ignore one for hours when focusing on another. 

As for pay specifically, I'm not in Florida as I mentioned, but most of the RN jobs here do start at or above your desired $27/hr. The exact pay structure will depend on many variables, but $40 in five years isn't unreasonable. As far as overtime, I don't know of a hospital that doesn't have nearly unlimited overtime options for nurses these days. I worked 50-60 hours a week for most of the past three years. As far as I know, your EMT credentials will not have an impact on your RN pay, they are generally mutually exclusive. While your background and skills from your EMT job may help your transition, it's unlikely to transition into a higher pay structure than a RN without the EMT experience.

Good luck decided your future plans. 

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

I wouldn't recommend spending too much time projecting what the future will be to that level of minutiae. You have to first be accepted to a program, complete it, then pass the boards. (While you're thinking about it, maybe you could start on gen. ED pre-requisites if you haven't already taken them. The more stuff you have out of the way, the easier the process will be for you.)

You might be surprised and have an experience along the way that leads you to a different career arc in nursing.

[Medic1995]

2 hours ago, Jedrnurse said:

I wouldn't recommend spending too much time projecting what the future will be to that level of minutiae. You have to first be accepted to a program, complete it, then pass the boards. (While you're thinking about it, maybe you could start on gen. ED pre-requisites if you haven't already taken them. The more stuff you have out of the way, the easier the process will be for you.)

You might be surprised and have an experience along the way that leads you to a different career arc in nursing.

The issue is I ALREADY know what I want to do. I’m a medic, and I don’t want that to change. Getting the RN is about gaining more experience in the ICU, and making more money when I get back on the truck. 

Advent runs a three man truck with a Critical Care Paramedic, and a Critical Care RN in the back on every call. It’s no different than being on a flight team; Medic and RN do the same exact job, but bring different experience to the table. RN is more medication management, and the medic is more airway typically. The RN just makes more money, because recruiting nurses from high paying ICU jobs isn’t as easy as taking a medic from a job that barely pays them 50k a year. So my thought is why not just take the detour and make more money for the same job?

I’ve already done ICU, ER, OB, and OR clinicals way back when I was in medic school. I know what I like, and what I don’t at this point. ICU is the only exciting job in nursing, IMO. 

[Medic1995]

3 hours ago, JBMmom said:

I can't comment on the specifics related to Florida specifically, but I know a few people that have transitioned from paramedic to RN in my area, specifically within the ICU role. Many have an ultimate goal of flight nursing and it's a popular transition plan. I think that just like anything else, going into it solely for monetary reasons is a potential drawback, but ultimately your earning potential is likely to be higher. The question is do you WANT to do the job. A couple of the people that I have worked with struggled with the transition from a focused period of time with one patient that requires stabilization and transport, to a patient assignment with two patients that they are responsible for furthering the care and focusing on overall treatment and wellness. For example, addressing lab values and putting where they fit into the whole picture of the patient's presentation. We have one paramedic who specifically struggles with this transition and is easily overwhelmed by having two patients that need care and will routine ignore one for hours when focusing on another. 

As for pay specifically, I'm not in Florida as I mentioned, but most of the RN jobs here do start at or above your desired $27/hr. The exact pay structure will depend on many variables, but $40 in five years isn't unreasonable. As far as overtime, I don't know of a hospital that doesn't have nearly unlimited overtime options for nurses these days. I worked 50-60 hours a week for most of the past three years. As far as I know, your EMT credentials will not have an impact on your RN pay, they are generally mutually exclusive. While your background and skills from your EMT job may help your transition, it's unlikely to transition into a higher pay structure than a RN without the EMT experience.

Good luck decided your future plans. 

I’m a paramedic, not an EMT! ? 

It’s cool, most people don’t understand that EMT-Paramedic is not an EMT. It’s confusing.

I know it won’t give me higher pay to be a medic, but it will obviously make me a better candidate for the job if I meet the requirements for the critical care paramedic position and critical care RN position at the same time.

I want to be able to put in an extra 12 at MINIMUM every other week, and maybe have the chance to stay late after shift. I never felt tired after only 12 hours on in the ER. On the truck I don’t hit a wall until I’ve run back to back calls for 16 hours straight.

 

But this is good info! If I can average 42 hours a week at 27 an hour, I can start at right under 61k (assuming that OT is 1.5x your rate at anything past 40 hours.) and I would be at about 90k with 42 hours at 40 an hour. That’s decent enough to live off of for such a short work week, and the ability to sleep in my own bed every night. ? 

Thanks for all your help

[Wuzzie]

20 minutes ago, Medic1995 said:

I’ve already done ICU, ER, OB, and OR clinicals way back when I was in medic school. I know what I like, and what I don’t at this point. ICU is the only exciting job in nursing, IMO. 

Yes, but are you willing to be patient because those types of jobs can be hard to come by.

[Medic1995]

Just now, Wuzzie said:

Yes, but are you willing to be patient because those types of jobs can be hard to come by.

I don’t know a single person who didn’t get their first choice of department when they started. One of my best friend’s an ER Nurse, and he told me it was stupid easy to get a job. Advent, OrlandoHealth, and Tampa General all have ICU fellowships for GN’s that they continuously hire for. I also have CCT experience as a medic, so I can’t imagine it would be difficult to get a fellowship position in the ICU when I’m already three steps ahead of a new nurse. I’ve handled many vented patients on multiple drips and chest tubes by myself before. I’m not saying I know everything or that I won’t need to be trained, I’m NOT a nurse, but I have legitimate experience that makes me a solid candidate over other applicants. That’s not a brag, that’s just a result of being a medic in a rural area. The local community hospital is terrified and flying off the handle, and they expect us to get this actively dying patient an hour away to a level one center because the helicopter is grounded. It just comes with the territory.

[Wuzzie]

Okay then. Good luck in your future endeavors. 

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

1 hour ago, Medic1995 said:

I’m a paramedic, not an EMT!

Sorry, I even read and understood that, but then wrote incorrectly. I'm just going to blame night shift, thought I was going to sleep today but then they were cutting trees in the neighborhood. Should post while sleep deprived. I think I meant the rest of the stuff.

Good luck. 

[nikxi36, MSN, RN]

Here’s the thing…it’s not the same. I think you are looking at nursing being completely skills based and it’s not. Nursing is largely a philosophy and that is what you will gain with the RN title. 
 

I have no doubt you will be an excellent candidate and achieve these goals! Don’t discount nursing along the way. 

Quote

Medic and RN do the same exact job, but bring different experience to the table. RN is more medication management, and the medic is more airway typically. The RN just makes more money, because recruiting nurses from high paying ICU jobs isn’t as easy as taking a medic from a job that barely pays them 50k a year.

 

[Hannahbanana, BSN, MSN]

Former CA Mobile ICU nurse here. Nice plan, except for a few things:

* Nursing and EMS are two different career tracks; one doesn’t necessarily support or build on the major foundations of the other at all

* Your assumption that ICU nursing will somehow enhance your EMS practice (or vice versa) is therefore erroneous. You’ll have more experience in patient handling and some tasks like suctioning and EKGs, yes, but other new grads catch up on that and other tasks pretty quick.  Also, the idea that 

1 hour ago, nikxi36 said:

Medic and RN do the same exact job, but bring different experience to the table. RN is more medication management, and the medic is more airway typically. 

is total nonsense and bespeaks the very limited task-oriented outlook we hear from students all the time. “What can EMS do that nurses can’t do?” They ask this because they don’t know the difference between what nurses do and what nurses are. 

* The basic raisons d’etre (reasons for being) and philosophical underpinnings of nursing are not task-oriented; you would have to leave all those assumptions at the door and be humble enough to accept that you are no better than any other new nursing student at the prime objective of nursing education: learning to think like a nurse. Really. I can tell from here by your eye-roll that you don’t believe me, but it’s true. Personally, I know zero hotshot EMS of any experience or licensure level who really get that. But perhaps some soul-searching will make you unique in that regard. 

* ICUs that hire new nursing grads directly out if school are vanishingly rare. You would be just that: a new grad c no ICU experience (no, student “capstones” may not count).  Your EMS background may actually be a hindrance (see above). Handling 2-3-4 critically ill patients and their families in a nursing environment for a full shift is radically different from being in the back of a rig. 

You’ll probably do it anyway, but do leave your mind open to have other ideas drop in from time to time.

Good luck in whatever you decide.

[Medic1995]

57 minutes ago, Hannahbanana said:

Former CA Mobile ICU nurse here. Nice plan, except for a few things:

* Nursing and EMS are two different career tracks; one doesn’t necessarily support or build on the major foundations of the other at all

* Your assumption that ICU nursing will somehow enhance your EMS practice (or vice versa) is therefore erroneous. You’ll have more experience in patient handling and some tasks like suctioning and EKGs, yes, but other new grads catch up on that and other tasks pretty quick.  Also, the idea that 

is total nonsense and bespeaks the very limited task-oriented outlook we hear from students all the time. “What can EMS do that nurses can’t do?” They ask this because they don’t know the difference between what nurses do and what nurses are. 

* The basic raisons d’etre (reasons for being) and philosophical underpinnings of nursing are not task-oriented; you would have to leave all those assumptions at the door and be humble enough to accept that you are no better than any other new nursing student at the prime objective of nursing education: learning to think like a nurse. Really. I can tell from here by your eye-roll that you don’t believe me, but it’s true. Personally, I know zero hotshot EMS of any experience or licensure level who really get that. But perhaps some soul-searching will make you unique in that regard. 

* ICUs that hire new nursing grads directly out if school are vanishingly rare. You would be just that: a new grad c no ICU experience (no, student “capstones” may not count).  Your EMS background may actually be a hindrance (see above). Handling 2-3-4 critically ill patients and their families in a nursing environment for a full shift is radically different from being in the back of a rig. 

You’ll probably do it anyway, but do leave your mind open to have other ideas drop in from time to time.

Good luck in whatever you decide.

What I meant was the RN and Medic on a helicopter or CCT ground unit are doing the same job; not regular nurses and medics.
 

They both can intubate, manage multiple drips, chest tubes, and administer whole blood. They bring different things to the table, but have the same protocols and operational capabilities. 
 

I get what you’re saying.