does being a paramedic complement an EDRN?

i think that it must. I have met a few paramedics in my program and they all seem to be excellent students.

Also I am interviewing for an ED extern position tommorrow, and the first part of the externship is 4 weeks with the paramedics! So obviously the Director of the hospital program thinks that there is valuable educational experiences to be had there.

Your skills would be very beneficial to becoming an ER nurse.

i think that it must. I have met a few paramedics in my program and they all seem to be excellent students.

Also I am interviewing for an ED extern position tommorrow, and the first part of the externship is 4 weeks with the paramedics! So obviously the Director of the hospital program thinks that there is valuable educational experiences to be had there.

That honestly sounds like an awesome experience!! Hope you get the job and post with ur externship stories! Ive always thought about the possibility of being a paramedic/EMT.

I spent seven years as an EMT with my local volunteer fire dept. prior to entering nursing school - even though I wasn't a paramedic, I think my training has definetely been a benefit to me as I have begun my nursing career. (I work in a med-surg ICU) Once you have run a trauma code in the front seat of a car or treated an AMI in the field dealing with an emergency situation in the hospital just seems much more calm and controlled. I have found it much easier to keep my wits about me than I think I would be able to do otherwise!

Are you kidding me? Paramedics have amazing skills. You guys are killer at putting in IV's. I would think it would put you at a great advantage.

yeah it would be great .you guys rock.

I think it helps with skills, but I think assessment in the ED is just natural with medic experience. I was a medic 10 years and just finished my practicum(RN) in the ED.

It doesnt hurt

I'm both and it has only helped... :)

I've been a volunteer EMT for five years with the local fire department, and just recently started in the emergency room as a tech/CNA. I find that the field experience has helped me enormously! If nothing else, I appreciate the field EMS providers more and understand their protocols/why they respond to situations a certain way. Some paramedic/RN's say that it is difficult to draw the line as far as scope of practice (paramedics can do more than nurses sometimes). I just recieved my acceptance letter for nursing school, so I'll know more in the near future!!

it helps out a lot!!.. i was a paramedic for years before becoming an RN.. and it helped me out a ton!