Need advice badly.

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Dec 29, 2005

what do you do now??

as a emt and a military medic, you probably do not need the experience, although each of these things are different. it couldn't hurt, but will it help you that much? assuming you are comfortable with patient contact, and basic skills (vital, assessment, etc), i don't see the need for you to do it. if you're looking to get your foot in the door, well, that's another story.

clee1 · Dec 29, 2005

Thanks, Bone....

I was thinking more "foot in the door" as well as different experiences. Currently, I am the night shift auditor/IT guy for a large car dealership chain. It pays OK, but it has absolutely nothing to do with medicine.

I am completely comfortable with patient contact and the "basics". In fact I was at the top of my class all the way through prereqs and during CNA clinicals, the instructor had me assisting her with keeping an eye on the rest of the students. So no, I am ambivilent about the "need" to work as a CNA; and I wouldn't do so at all in a LTC environment. However, I figured work in a hospital would be helpful. The question boils down to: is the experience gained worth the additional stress?

bluesky, BSN, RN · Dec 29, 2005

If you are an EMT-Paramedic, that experience far exceeds anything you will have in the hospital as a CRNA except perhaps getting to know the environment. If your non-medical job is higher paying and equally accomodating (especially if you have downtime to study), I would keep it without a doubt.

papawjohn · Dec 29, 2005

Hey Clee1

I'll take the opposite side. It's been hard for several new LPNs that I know (one is my wife) to get their 'foot in the door' (as you say). The jobs aren't out there looking for you as a brand-new LPN, it seems. Having contacts and the trust and respect of people you've worked with while in school: Priceless.

Papaw John

clee1 · Dec 29, 2005

If you are an EMT-Paramedic, that experience far exceeds anything you will have in the hospital as a CRNA except perhaps getting to know the environment. If your non-medical job is higher paying and equally accomodating (especially if you have downtime to study), I would keep it without a doubt.

I was an EMT-A, about 17 years ago. I have been in IT ever since. However, as a military medic, I did all kinds of things that not even civilian RNs do. The rule in the military is "to the limits of your training", and I made it a point to be trained in everything I could.

My non-med job is higher paying and very accommodating.

clee1 · Dec 29, 2005

Hey Clee1
I'll take the opposite side. It's been hard for several new LPNs that I know (one is my wife) to get their 'foot in the door' (as you say). The jobs aren't out there looking for you as a brand-new LPN, it seems. Having contacts and the trust and respect of people you've worked with while in school: Priceless.
Papaw John

That was my thinking as well. It it worth the stress of a med/surg floor grunt job while in LPN clinicals, in your opinion?

Let me say that I am a type-A personality. I thrive under a level of stress that would kill most folks. I have a letter of recommendation from the RN in charge of my CNA clinicals as well as one from the MD that was the instructor of my A&P classes.

My worry is that I'll give short shift to either school or my patients while trying to do both well, and would have given up my decent non-med job in the process.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Dec 29, 2005

You will learn everything you need to know in your nursing classes. If your current job is satisfying all your needs right now and you know for sure they are going to work with you when it comes to your school schedule, I would stay where you are. I know it does sound attractive to work as a CNA, but consider this. You will have to work holidays, you will probably get called to come in to work when they need help. You don't really know that they are going to keep their promise insofar as a work schedule is concerned. You know what you can expect from the job you have now. Anyway, I don't think it's a good idea to be thinking about nursing all your waking hours (school and job). Everybody needs a break. I know that it sounds attractive that working for a hospital gets your foot in the door for after you graduate, but that's not necessarily true. You would still have to apply for an LPN position and go through the job application process. If they have no openings for LPN, you will be SOL. Now, the one thing that is good about hospital employment is that they often have tuition reimbursement. Would you be able to qualify to receive it as a part time employee, however?

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · Dec 29, 2005

EMT and Nursing are different animals to be sure. Trust me, my hubby is a paramedic after being a Navy Corpman. He debates going to RN school every now and then, then he hears about my day and enjoys his work more and more..LOL!!!! (in fact, I would rather do EMT/Paramedic personally...more my style of medical!).

I guess he says the biggest differences is the fact that he has protocols and doesn't have to ask a doc to do any little thing...he has more autonomy than I do (yeah, just ask an RN about upping oxygen without an order...LOL!). Dealing with families is more involved and stressful and longer than being EMT/Paramedic. And he also said all those ADL's (feeding, bathing, clothing, etc.) is something he will never miss in his daily routine being a paramedic! And having to deal directly with administration and MD's all day...he said "you can have it hon!". LOL!

To gain this experience, clinicals are your best choice. School will teach you all about these differences in the professions and the EMT will be an added benifit to you for sure when it comes to some tasks/understanding! Working as a CNA will give you more of an understanding of dealing with a "whole person' not just a patient...however you can also gain that experience via clinicals.

It is up to you how much patient care you wish to endure day after day really. Do you want a full day at clinicals just to turn around and do more? Also, be aware that you will be learning things you can not do on patients out of clinicals...so you have to be careful not to step over that line of work and school...that can be stressful.

Good luck to you! And thank you for your service :)

bluesky, BSN, RN · Dec 30, 2005

My first thought is, why not get your RN right away?

Most of the CNA positions I have witnessed have not required too many nursing skills (exception long term care where they are the nurses for all intensive purposes). You help with bedbaths, stocking, that's it. Most ERs do use their techs at higher skill levels requiring them to do IV starts and splinting- maybe some triage and discharges but many ERs like experience (recent) and/or LPN backround already.

clee1 · Dec 30, 2005

My first thought is, why not get your RN right away?
Most of the CNA positions I have witnessed have not required too many nursing skills (exception long term care where they are the nurses for all intensive purposes). You help with bedbaths, stocking, that's it. Most ERs do use their techs at higher skill levels requiring them to do IV starts and splinting- maybe some triage and discharges but many ERs like experience (recent) and/or LPN backround already.

I would have liked to go straight to RN; either ASN or BSN, but due to the need to maintain a fulltime job during school, and the lack of available schools (with room therein) nearby, I had to do a stairstep method.

The school I'm in does a CNA course while in prereqs for LPN clinicals; hence my current CNA status. I worked in a LTC facility while in CNA clinicals - definitely NOT for me.

Once I'm through LPN licensure, I'm going to go straight into a bridge program for RN. My goal is to work in an ED with eventual plans to become a flight nurse or perhaps an NP.

Due to previous experiences, I have a wider skill set than the average person at my level of licensure... I was just considering what would be best for my career at this point.

bluesky, BSN, RN · Dec 30, 2005

I would have liked to go straight to RN; either ASN or BSN, but due to the need to maintain a fulltime job during school, and the lack of available schools (with room therein) nearby, I had to do a stairstep method.
The school I'm in does a CNA course while in prereqs for LPN clinicals; hence my current CNA status. I worked in a LTC facility while in CNA clinicals - definitely NOT for me.
Once I'm through LPN licensure, I'm going to go straight into a bridge program for RN. My goal is to work in an ED with eventual plans to become a flight nurse or perhaps an NP.
Due to previous experiences, I have a wider skill set than the average person at my level of licensure... I was just considering what would be best for my career at this point.

A word of caution. I was a paramedic from 1992-1998 when I had my first seizure and they wouldn't let me anymore. I applied to nursing school in 2002 and graduated with my BSN in 2004. When I applied to various ER's of choice and referred to my EMS experience, it is true that I was told that unless you are currently practicing and licensed, the experience won't be weighed as heavily. Which makes sense because many procedures (such as ACLS), really do change over the years. In fact, I have a secret piece of advice for you. If you feel very confident in your speed, efficiency, assessment skills and especially IV and splinting and you want to get into a good ER and be respected right off the bat, here is what I would do...

I would keep your current job for school (unless your EMT license is still good in which case I would work as a night EMT). Then, after graduating with your LPN, I would take a tech job in an ER (again, you must

be very confident in your skills to make a bang impression), and work that job part-time through your LPN-BSN process. Then, your ER will be very impressed with you and hire you off the bat.

I would not go just the senior internship in the ER route, because it's a lot harder to impress/make friends that way. Techs and others feel threatened by nursing students and everyone is on alert because they are green (to nursing) by default. I speak from experience because I chose this route... and it wasn't the right one. Granted the ER I wanted to go at the time had 30 applications for like 4 positions, and 2 of those positions were saved for techs who were already working there. Because this was a top ranked ER with level 1 trauma, ER and peds combined which you don't find around here anymore. Of course I didn't get one of the other two. I ended up in the SICU instead which has benefits and drawbacks (benefit.... eligibility for CRNA/ drawback... no good opportunity to develop strong IV skills). However, I was less than confident at the time ( when I was doing the ER internship) and was more or less eaten up by some witches who now I could eat for my mid-morning snack skill wise but that was then in and this is now.

Also remember that if you go straight to ER, your NP options will be more limited to acute care/ critical care NP instead of CRNA which seems to be the hot (read well payed) ticket right now.

So... my advice is biased to my own experience. Perhaps ER nurses on the board here will chime in and completely disagree with me. You may consider making another post to the ER nurse forum, they may be more responsive there.

Either way, best of luck to you- you've got a long haul but I see you are dedicated and I know you will make it.

Lex