Paramedic or Pre-Hospital RN?

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Hey guys,I needed some advice on something; recently I've become an EMT-B and really enjoy the work and am looking to continue my education but I'm at a crossroads. I don't know if I should become a paramedic or a nurse. I would still like to do pre-hospital care in the field but don't know which would would be a better decision. Both programs are offered at a local community college by me and both are two years with an AS at the end of the program I'm just curious which one would be better ? If anyone has any insight I'd really appreciate it! Thanks a lot

-Dave

My advice as I am a medic on a fire department. Go for RN and while in school put in aps to local fire departments. If hired stop school until you get out of fire recruit class and go onto shift. Then finish your nursing degree with all of your free time. After nursing is finished take a few extra classes and become a medic. This is assuming of course you would want to be a fire fighter as well. Then work as a RN as a part time job on your days off. Best of both worlds!! Being a medic for a city fire department is very rewarding and exciting. Every day is different and you are not stuck inside all day. Just my cheap 2 cents

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Specializes in ED, Critical Care.

Been a medic for 20 plus years. Finally finished my ASN last May while working full time as well.

I opinion? Get your nursing first. As mentioned, some states will allow an RN to "challenge" the medic test.

The majority of EMS jobs (EMT, Medic) pay crap, and you run your tail off doing transports, take homes, drs. appts. etc. no insurance, no retirement.

Unless you are a fire dept. medic, 3rd service (city, county) medic. And with the way things are fire depts. are laying off left and right.

Nursing for now, is a safer bet as far as job security is concerned.

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Specializes in ER.

Mike F. described exactly why a nursing classmate and friend of mine went from Paramedic to RN profession. In addition my buddy wanted to become a flight nurse, travel and opportunity to make more $$

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Specializes in Cardiology, Emergency.

Hey I hope the right answer has made itself known to you after reading these responses. I ran Pre hospital and did my BHSc (Nursing) as well. I love pre hospital and would love to have a role as a pre hospital RN, but that role doesn't exist in New Zealand, and Nursing is a more secure field to work in, in regards to that you have a variety of fields you can go into and the money is alot more in nursing than in EMS. Definatly follow your heart *I did and no puns intended, am working as Cardiac Care nurse*. Be prepared for struggles as a guy in this field, but you can make the choices and practice more interviewing skills as an EMT than you will in a nursing class room. Utilise everything taught to you in EMS :)

Scotty

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I'm in agreement with much of what's been said, and I would have considered doing things differently had I known what I know now. I've been an EMS provider for 18 years, 6 of them as a Paramedic. I'm happy doing my job, but I'm also looking at mobility issues. The other thing I am considering is how long I'm going to be able to work on the street, which is a motivator behind my looking at RN licensure. My wife is also an RN - she's been at it for a little over 30 years, and she's being really supportive about my decision to pursue nursing.

A lot of advice I've been given involves using what you already know - it's also been said here. And - I have no intention of giving up my Paramedic license. I'm going to find a way to use them both.

Good luck to you!

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Specializes in Spinal Cord injuries, Emergency+EMS.

the answer for everywhere other than the UK and perhaps OZ /NZ is go RN ....

in the Uk and Oz/ NZ there is more parity between Nurses and paramedics, particularly in the UK where paramedics are 'proper' health professionals ...

some places e.g. the Netherlands access to paramedic roles is via RN anyway...

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PHRN is available most places, if not some states simply let RN's study on their own, and challenge the EMT-P test. If that doesn't fit your bill, go for creighton universities accelerated RN to EMT-P bridge. I too love EMS, but am in nursing school so that I can actually have a job that supports a family. Good Luck

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Specializes in tactical/emercency medicine.

there is always the option of doing both, sure it would take a little longer, but you would get good expeirience and some nice refresser points along the way. Im fairly sure most states have some sort of cross over test from RN>Medic and Medic>RN. dont let yourself be limited to any one thing. go for whatever you want, and there is also

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Hey guys,I needed some advice on something; recently I've become an EMT-B and really enjoy the work and am looking to continue my education but I'm at a crossroads. I don't know if I should become a paramedic or a nurse. I would still like to do pre-hospital care in the field but don't know which would would be a better decision. Both programs are offered at a local community college by me and both are two years with an AS at the end of the program I'm just curious which one would be better ? If anyone has any insight I'd really appreciate it! Thanks a lot

-Dave

I don't know where you are from or the rules there but in NJ if you are a nurse and an emt-b and worked in the ER or ICU for a year you can become an micn (mobile intensive care nurse which is the same as a paramedic

I am an emt going for rn and I hope to do that in the near future

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Specializes in Peds/Neo CCT,Flight, ER, Hem/Onc.
(mobile intensive care nurse which is the same as a paramedic

Um nooo, not really.

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Um nooo, not really.

that was what i was told didnt look into it more than that

can you explain what you mean by no

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Specializes in Peds/Neo CCT,Flight, ER, Hem/Onc.

First let me say I have the utmost of respect for my paramedic colleagues, and I do mean colleagues but the two careers are not the same. We may overlap in skills but there is a difference in philosophy,education, scope of practice (while in the MICU) and final responsibility. Things often differ from state to state but I can assure you it would be my butt on the line first if anything went wrong on a transport. Paramedics bring many wonderful things to the table including scene management experience and the ability to think outside the box but they often lack the critical care experience that is required to manage an ICU type patient beyond initial stabilization. That is not to say that with education and a lot of precepting they can't learn it but there is a reason that in most states an MICU is not staffed by paramedics alone. It's the same reason I as a nurse can't just hop in the back of a squad and run EMS without additional training (which I have). This is not something easily understood unless you are a nurserand a medic and I happen to be both. Also, any state that would allow a nurse with just one year of ER experience to run on an MICU is crazy. If you are interested in persuing a career in transport medicine you ought to sign up for a ride-along with your local transport system.

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