RN to...Paramedic?

U.S.A. New York

Published

So I've been an EMT for about three years now. Always had an interest in becoming a paramedic. Now, I am about a year away from a BSN and am thinking about going to paramedic school after my BSN is finished. Does anybody recommend this route? against this route? Does anybody know anybody whose done this route? The goal is to end up working as an ICU RN while per diem on the ambulance at the same hospital I work at as an EMT now. Any insight appreciated.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Paramedic is another year full time schooling. Pay is lower. Yes some days I wish I was back on the bus, but it's not worth it.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

Some states have a method/means to challenge the Paramedic license. Some states recognize some nurses as "Prehospital RN" or PHRN and these nurses function basically as paramedics. If you do not live in a state that has an easy mechanism to challenge the EMTP exam and earn the Paramedic license or your state doesn't have PHRN recognition, then you may be "stuck" with having to do the traditional Paramedic educational program, which can take about a year. If there's any sort of a "fast" way to do it, it's probably obtaining the EMT-B cert and then attending a Paramedic refresher course (careful, it's around 48 hours long) and then you might be allowed to challenge the exam itself. Passing the exam usually doesn't (by itself) get you a Paramedic license.

I am a Paramedic and an RN in California. My state has a mechanism for challenging the paramedic license but doing it isn't all that common as far as I know. Part of the reason is that while you can take the NREMTP exam, and possibly pass it, you still must do a 480 hour internship as a Paramedic under a Paramedic preceptor.

I ended up doing both RN and Paramedic in the traditional way and I have yet to meet anyone that challenged the exam and are currently working as a Paramedic. I know a couple of Paramedic/RN folks that work as both but they did their schooling the traditional way as well. All of us are ED nurses...

The best place to start is probably the agency that licenses Paramedics in your area/state and find out about whatever process they have.

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