Nurse who needs an EMT-B cert. questions

caliotter3 · Dec 12, 2009

Personally, I would just go ahead and take the course. You are bound to find something useful in it and might be able to network with the instructor concerning your future plans.

StudyinginCT · Dec 12, 2009

Well, the problem is that it is a.) $700 b.) every tues/thurs 6p-10p and all day saturdays for the entire winter.

I don't have a job yet, so I don't know how that may or may not mesh with my yet-to-be-determined schedule. Also, if I'm in class all day getting my EMT on saturdays, I can't be out on the hill patroling.

It just seems like so much of it will be so redundant. Especially for what I need it for. On-hill management of sports injuries. Having spent a decade as a FT skier, you pick a lot up. Combined with the nursing education, it just seems like a hoop to jump through. When you're a noob on patrol, you're mostly doing grunt work, which will give me time to earn my chops in my nursing capacity in the ED. Mostly, I just want to qualify to get a patrol gig.

Schlepter · Dec 12, 2009

I finished my EMT-B course over the summer and have just completed my 1st clinical rotation for nursing. There are a lot of similarities to the information between the 2. What you need to realize is that the EMT-B cert concentrates on the pre-hospital care and the nursing focuses on the post hospital care. Although both are similar, they do have different scopes of practice. I have to admit, I am really glad to have gone through it so I can compare it to my nursing classes. Here in PA you don't have the option to challenge the test, so I had to suffer through the classes. But all in all they are worth it and I think it would be a good addition to your skills. Good luck!

StudyinginCT · Dec 12, 2009

agree that it would enhance my skills, but my budget for time and money don't allow that. I'm aware of the differences. However, like most patient care, you truly only learn how to do it when you're out there actually making decisions and doing the hands-on care. The skills that I need to pass the test are skills I'll learn as a GN in the ED (starting IV's, c-spine, moving patients, ACLS, etc...) or skills I've already earned - BLS, First aid, assessment, taking history, basic patient care, etc... The rest is simply reading a book and regurgitating it to pass the written. Since my foundation is good, and right now I'm just looking for the cert to get me on the hill and get free season passes for myself and my family, I'm more looking for the quick and dirty and cheap method.

opus13 · Dec 12, 2009

Hi Studyinginct,

As an RN and Paramedic in Ct maybe I can help you. CT does not allow nurses to challenge the Emt-B , they did years ago but there were problems. As a RN your knowledge of pt care is perfectly fine for working on an ambulance; however what you need to learn in Emt class is the prehospital speciffic things such as; radio communications, scene safety and management, and specialized prehospital equipment. How to use a KED (provides spinal immobilization for someone in a seated position) , a scoop board/stretcher, vehicle extracation, a stair chair, how do you do spinal immobiliztion for travel (not the same as for in hospital, as nurses we don't normally place pts on long boards) and other things that I'm sure I forgot. All of which you will be tested on since there is both a written and hands on test for certification.

Most EMT classes only have 2 or 3 Sat. classes so you won't be in class every Sat.

hope this provides some good information for you.

Neveranurseagain, RN · Dec 12, 2009

Have you tried local community colleges? Here in my area the class is offered every semester and runs less than $100.

Speaking as a former EMT/Paramedic that is now an RN, there is a world of difference between prehospital and hospital skills. As an EMT, you rely heavily on your partner and need to learn to work as a team, rather than as individual like RN's do. Skills as mentioned by opus are taught, as well as Hare traction splint and helicopter utilization and safety and the use of MAST. When all heck breaks lose as it will with prehospital care, there is limited skilled personnel and no doctors to rely on for backup. Take the class-it will be fun and you will learn new skills.

kwantiko · Dec 12, 2009

I second all of that. If you have never worked in a prehospital environment, it could be hard to transition. It is a different mindset. Obtaining your EMT-B will help with understanding the way things are done.

bennettsmith · Dec 12, 2009

I have my EMT-B and I am currently in nursing school. You need to graduate from a certified EMT-B program to sit for the NREMT. There are some similarities in both programs but the regulations are different -you wont see a nurse jump in the ambulance and start driving it around. It is expensive but it is one semester and the experience will be well worth it.

emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Dec 12, 2009

Not sure where you're planning on patrolling, but as a ski patroller and oec-i/t, let me make a few comments:

- you aren't a patroller until you earn your cross. Does your hill belong to the nsp? Virtually all do as this allows for standardization of training. If so, then you'll need to pass the nsp oec (outdoor emergency care) written and practical exams. Emt may challenge the oec practical but that's based on you already being an emt.

- until you earn your cross, you can't patrol, which is why no area I know of provides family passes during the trainee season.

- nursing schedules and volly patrolling do not mesh well. Unless your hill has weekday shifts for vollys, it'll be tough to make your days.

Not meaning to be discouraging, but trying to give you a reality check.

FlyingScot, RN · Dec 13, 2009

I'm a little confused too regarding your plans. I'm NSP, about to get my 30 year pin and have been a nurse for well over 20 years. I'm not sure training for patrol and orienting as a new grad is such a great idea. Even for a volly you need OEC and ski/toboggan training. In my neck of the woods that's 3 years...minimum. No matter how good a skier you are. EMT-B's can challenge the OEC course but I've seen them struggle through it, especially new EMT's. The OEC course and EMT-B course are essentially identical with a few differences (medication administration, stair chair and haz-mat) but the skiing aspect of it throws in a few twists. I've managed to work out the scheduling issues with my real job and my patrol job but it takes a certain amount of dedication and willingness to have a crappy schedule for 6 months out of the year. In addition, I certainly hope your reason for patrolling isn't just to get free family passes. I've seen many young patrollers during my time who have joined for just that reason and last about a year before they figure out it costs a lot more to be a patroller in both time and money. Seriously, if that's your only reason you'd be better off (and so would your local patrol) to just shell out the bucks for season passes. I don't mean to sound harsh either but there's more to patrolling than most people think.

mwboswell · Dec 13, 2009

You definitely cannot do national registry EMT w/o attending class.

If your state is NOT a national registry state, then you'll have to check with your state EMS board.

Of the 3 states I am familiar with you need to have attended the actual EMT basic curriculum regardless of being an RN.

Really, the only benefit nursing school gives you is in your patient assessment, HOWEVER, that being said - nursing school does not teach "focused assessment" like EMT programs do.

Also nursing school typically has minimal at best: disaster medicine, emergency medicine, out of hospital medicine, austere environment, haz mat, trauma medicine.

Regardless of the state regs, I personally would recommend doing the EMT class, if nothing else, it may be a walk in the park for you and no real effort at studying required - if you do take it and find you have to work your butt off to pass - then all the more reason you needed to take it anyways. Besides your peers will respect you more for it.